


POV: You’re Karasuno’s Manager and All The Volleyball Boys Kinda Like You

by Lauren_the_simp



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: A food funeral, Before nationals, Confessions, Crazy Tanaka and Nishinoya, Cute Nishinoya, Date Tech - Freeform, Dependable Daichi, Dorks in Love, F/M, Fake Relationshipish, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Fukuroudani, Getting Lost, Helpful Kinoshita, Hinata is a blushing mess, Inarizaki, Johzenji, Kageyama is kinda bad with feelings, Karaoke, Karasuno, Kuroo and Bokuto cause an accident, Mario Kart, Movie Night, Mutual Pining, Nekoma, Nervous Asahi, Protective Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Reader-Insert, Shiratorizawa, Smug Suga, The Managers are Wing Women, Training Camp, Tsukishima the Sassy Tsundere, Valentine's Day, Volleyball, Yaku saves a kitten, everyone is a simp, everyone is also kinda clueless, karasuno manager, snowy day
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:54:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 63,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28681419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lauren_the_simp/pseuds/Lauren_the_simp
Summary: You're a second-year and Karasuno's female manager. Before Nationals, all the volleyball teams come together for a training camp at Aoba Johsai. Almost all the volleyball boys take a liking to you—even the boys on the Karasuno team. (Every new chapter is a new character and a new scenario).
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Reader, Aone Takanobu/Reader, Azumane Asahi/Reader, Bokuto Koutarou/Reader, Ennoshita Chikara/Reader, Futakuchi Kenji/Reader, Goshiki Tsutomu/Reader, Haiba Lev/Reader, Hinata Shouyou/Reader, Inuoka Sou/Reader, Iwaizumi Hajime/Reader, Kageyama Tobio/Reader, Kamasaki Yasushi/Reader, Kinoshita Hisashi/Reader, Kita Shinsuke/Reader, Koganegawa Kanji/Reader, Konoha Akinori/Reader, Kozume Kenma/Reader, Kunimi Akira/Reader, Kuroo Tetsurou/Reader, Miya Atsumu/Reader, Miya Osamu/Reader, Moniwa Kaname/Reader, Nishinoya Yuu/Reader, Oikawa Tooru/Reader, Reader/Various, Sakunami Kousuke/Reader, Sawamura Daichi/Reader, Semi Eita/Reader, Shibayama Yuuki/Reader, Sugawara Koushi/Reader, Suna Rintarou/Reader, Tanaka Ryuunosuke/Reader, Tendou Satori/Reader, Terushima Yuuji/Reader, Tsukishima Kei/Reader, Ushijima Wakatoshi/Reader, Yahaba Shigeru/Reader, Yaku Morisuke/Reader, Yamaguchi Tadashi/Reader, Yamamoto Taketora/Reader
Comments: 46
Kudos: 343





	1. Daichi Sawamura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You arrive at the training camp with the team. The first practice match is with Nekoma, and Daichi really wants to impress you, and you find yourself falling for the captain.

The bus trip to Seijoh wasn’t super long, being only about an hour. You remember the last time the team went to Seijoh for practice games. Hinata was so nervous that he threw up in Tanaka’s lap. You couldn’t help but giggle when you remembered it. He was feeling so much pressure that day. You snap out of your thoughts when Coach Ukai stands up from his seat and looks at the boys.

“Alright guys, we are almost at Seijoh. Once we get there, put your stuff in our room and change for our first practice game,” Coach says and sits back down in his seat and begins to talk to Mr. Takeda. In the seat in front of you was Daichi and Suga. Daichi stands up and faces the rest of the team.

“Hey guys, our first practice game is with Nekoma, so be ready,” Daichi says, and the team cheers as he sits back down.

“Oh man, I can’t wait to see Inuoka, Lev, and Kenma,” Hinata says. Kageyama grunts in response. Tanaka and Nishinoya jump excitedly in their seats about seeing their city brother, Yamamoto. You were also excited to see all the teams. Some are teams that are going to be in Nationals as well. You look over at Yachi, who sits next to you on the window seat with you on the aisle seat. She seems a bit scared.

“Everything okay, Yachi?” you ask her and lightly pat her shoulder. She tenses up even more when you pat her.

“Uh, yeah. I was just thinking about how many tall boys would be there,” Yachi says.

“Don’t worry, Kiyoko will be there for us,” you turn over to the other seats next to you, where Kiyoko sat alone. “Right, Kiyoko?” She glances up from her notebook to look at both of you.

“Of course, we managers are here for one another,” she says and smiles, and goes back to her notebook. You turn back to Yachi.

“See, you have nothing to worry about,” you say, and Yachi gives you a small smile and nods.

“I couldn’t help but hear you guys,” a voice says in front of you. You look to see Suga peeking his head around the seat to look at you and Yachi. “And I just wanna say that we’ll be there for you guys too, right Daichi?” he turns to look at Daichi, who still faced forward, so you couldn’t make out his facial expression. You could only see a small sliver of his face through the gap in the seats.

“Oh, of course,” Daichi says, still not looking in your direction. Suga smiles before turning back to you.

“See? It’ll be alright, and I’ll bet we’ll get good training in and have lots of fun,” he says, and you nod. He turns back to face the front.

The ride lasts another ten minutes before you finally arrive at Aoba Johsai. When the bus pulls into a parking spot, Hinata, Nishinoya, and Tanaka launch themselves from their seats before anyone else.

“Gotta pee, gotta pee, gotta pee,” Hinata repeats while running off to find a bathroom.

Everyone grabs their stuff and walks over to the school building. Everyone was staying in a classroom. The boys having their own team room, and the managers stay with the other managers in one room. You pass by some of the boys on other teams. Some from Date Tech, Inarizaki, and Shiratorizawa. You could feel their eyes on you, Kiyoko and Yachi.

“Is it just me, or are they all staring at us?” you say quietly to Yachi and Kiyoko. Yachi nods and tries to avoid eye contact with everyone. Kiyoko looks somewhat embarrassed but ignores them all. You weren’t really sure how to react to the attention. So, the three of you just walk to your room and ignore everyone’s eyes.

When you open the door, there was no one in sight. You guys figured that the girls were all watching the practice games and such. You put your stuff down and change into your sweats for the practice game.

The team had their practice match at the third gym. You, Yachi, and Kiyoko fast walk over to get there just in time for warm-ups.

“It’s been a bit since we’ve seen Nekoma, hasn’t it?” you say, and Kiyoko nods.

“It has been a while,” Kiyoko responds.

You look over to see Daichi shaking hands with the captain of Nekoma, Kuroo. You could tell that they were incredibly hostile towards one another despite having smiles plastered on their faces. You laughed at their interaction. You see Suga talking with Yaku before walking over to you.

“Hey Suga,” you greet.

“Hey Y/N,” he says when he reaches you.

“You and Yaku are the only two people that seem to calmly get along,” you say. He scratches the back of his neck while chuckling.

“Yeah, it sure seems that way, doesn’t it,” he says. “You know, I bet Daichi wants us to win for a particular reason,” he says, giving you a small sneaky smile.

“Oh, yeah?” you say, kind of concerned as to what he’s talking about.

“Yup, and I bet Nekoma’s captain has the same reason,” he says.

“Uh-huh,” you say, narrowing your eyes at him. “And what reason would that be?”

“Oh my, Y/N, I’m surprised you don’t know,” he shrugs his shoulders. “That’s kinda a shame. I thought it was obvious.”

“What’s obvious?” you ask. He puts his pointer finger up to his mouth. The same position someone makes to shush people. He also gives you a small wink.

“Well…it is supposed to be a secret, but…I guess I can tell you. You see, Daichi wants to win to impress you,” he says. You stand there, dumbfounded. Once what he said sunk in, there was a splash of red on your face. Sugawara laughs at your expression. “Make sure you don’t tell Daichi that I told you. If he found out, he’ll kill me,” he says and suddenly becomes a bit grim. You still had nothing to say. “Alright, well I gotta go warm-up. I’ll see ya,” he says and runs over to the team.

“Hey, Y/N, can you help me with my notes?” Kiyoko calls out to you, snapping you out of your thoughts. You run over to her and help her with the notes about the team.

“Hey, Kiyoko,” you say.

“Yes?” she responds.

“Do you think that Daichi wants to win to impress me? Suga was saying something like that to me earlier,” you say. She stops writing in her notebook to look up at you. Her sudden change startled you a bit.

“Well…yes,” she says quietly.

“Really?” you ask, surprised.

“Yeah, I’m surprised you haven’t noticed his affection for you,” she says. “He’s liked you for quite some time now.”

“Huh?!?!” you say a bit loud. “How come no one’s ever told me?”

“We all figured he was going to tell you, but since he hasn’t, I’m assuming Suga told you to move things along,” Kiyoko says and goes back to her notebook.

“Wait…what? This is a lot to take in,” you say. Kiyoko looks at you again and gives you a small smile.

“I know, I’m sorry. This definitely wasn’t the right time for this, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to give Daichi an answer or anything. Take your time to think it all over,” she says, and you feel a slight weight lifted from your shoulders.

“Thank you, Kiyoko,” you say and sit beside her on the bench.

The whistle blows, and the boys begin their practice game. The whole game, you thought about what Suga and Kiyoko said. Do I like Daichi? I mean, I always thought he was a really nice guy and dependable. You could feel your cheeks heat up. You never thought that Daichi would ever like you. Sure, you guys were friends, but you had no idea that he like-liked you.

While you were deep in thought, Kiyoko noticed that he would glance at you every receive Daichi handled. Daichi hoped that you would see how amazing he is.

Karasuno barely took the first set, and the team celebrated a little before continuing with the next set. You kinda avoided Daichi a bit. You weren’t sure how you should talk to him, so instead, you spoke to the first years. However, all the third years noticed you avoiding them. Luckily, Kiyoko vouched for you a little.

As the next set started, you watched Daichi more closely now instead of overthinking everything. You watched him dig up the ball and spike it. You felt warm and giddy watching him. You always thought he was a good-looking guy, and you did like him. He was so kind to others and such a great leader. You could feel yourself getting warmer and warmer. Yachi and Kiyoko noticed how red your face got when Daichi looked over at you when he received the ball.

Karasuno won the second set and celebrated together while Nekoma did flying laps. Coach gave everyone some pointers for their next practice match. Mr. Takeda spoke in interesting metaphors to help the team as well. The boys had a bit of time before they had their next practice match, so you decided to talk to Kiyoko and Yachi to pass the time. At least that was your plan.

“Hey Y/N,” a voice behind you said. You already knew who it was. You slowly turn to see the captain.

“Hey Daichi,” you say, trying to sound calm. “What’s up?”

“Well, you were actively avoiding me and the other third years. Is something wrong? Did we do something to upset you?” Daichi asks you, giving you a really concerned look.

“No. It’s nothing like that at all,” you say. Daichi breathes a sigh of relief.

“Oh, good, I thought that you were upset,” Daichi says and gives you a small smile.

“Yeah,” you reply, not really knowing what else to say.

“Then what is it?” Daichi asks. You started getting warm again, and your cheeks were probably getting red.

“Well…” you look down at the ground, not really sure what to say. “Something that someone told me, I guess.” Daichi cocks his head to the side. You look up at his face—just utter confusion.

“Oh? What was it? Was it bad?” he asks.

“No. It was the opposite of bad,” you say, not really sure how to phrase it and if you should be completely honest with him.

“I see,” he says, his expression still the same.

“Don’t worry, it’s okay,” you say.

“Alright…we can talk about it later,” Daichi says and returns to the team.

“O…kay,” is all you can muster out.

Karasuno’s next match was Date Tech, but Kiyoko asked you and Yachi to take care of Tanaka, who injured himself during the first part of the game. You and Yachi take Tanaka to the nurse and find out what’s wrong. Tanaka tried to receive a spike from Aone but injured his arm in the process. His arm had to be wrapped, and he was forbidden to partake in games for the rest of the day, even though he whined about not being in the game. It was pretty late, so Date Tech was probably Karasuno’s last game.

“Tanaka, I’m sure you’ll be fresh and ready by tomorrow,” you say, trying to reassure him. He still continued to pout, though.

“I better be,” he says.

By the time Tanaka was all wrapped up and checked, the game was over. According to Coach, Karasuno won the game. You saw as Date Tech did their flying laps with Moniwa and Futakuchi leading the pack. You didn’t know their third years were there. Maybe they’re there for fun because they just couldn’t stay away.

Everyone had some time before dinner was served, so some decided to take a bath or explore the town outside the school walls for a bit. You were planning to get some schoolwork done on your laptop in your makeshift room, but yet again, your plans were foiled.

“Hey, Y/N,” it was Daichi. You see him walk over to you as you start to exit the gym.

“Do you have a sec? I was hoping I could talk to you.”

“Uh, sure,” you say.

“Cool, let’s go somewhere else,” he says, and you both walk out of the gym together. The air was a bit chilly, and the sun was just about to go down, and the moon and stars were starting to be seen. You guys walk a bit far from the gym to a bench outside the school building. You both sit and don’t talk for what seems like an eternity. Finally, Daichi clears his throat. “So, are you gonna tell me what ‘someone’ told you?” he asks, looking at you. You grab at your knees and try to find the right words to talk about all this.

“Well,” you start. “You see, ‘someone’ told me…that you…” you turn away from him now. “That you wanted to impress me with your playing,” you still didn’t look at him. Daichi didn’t say anything for about a minute before answering.

“I see. Who told you?” he asks.

“It doesn’t matter. Why didn’t you tell me that you liked me, Daichi?” you ask, feeling a little bit bold. He pauses and sighs.

“I was planning to tell you after we won Nationals, but I guess that plan is now thrown out the window,” he says. You chuckle a little, which surprises him.

“Yeah, no kidding,” you say and look at him. “Daichi, I wish you didn’t wait and that you would’ve just told me.”

“What makes you say that?” Daichi asks with a shocked expression.

“Well…I mean, I would’ve said that I liked you back,” you say. Daichi’s jaw drops, and you laugh a little. Daichi shakes out of his daze and gives you a big smile.

“Really?” he asks.

“Yes, Daichi,” you say. “Yes, I would.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Daichi's chapter! Next is Sugawara!


	2. Koushi Sugawara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Suga are really good friends, but you both have feelings for each other. Everything changes when Oikawa thinks the two of you are dating, and you guys realize that maybe dating each other doesn't sound so bad.

You weren’t sure as to why half of the boys were asking you out, from the Great King to the guys that make up the Iron Wall and even some guy with a tongue piercing. You weren’t really sure how to deal with it. All the attention. It kinda freaked you out.

“People are still constantly asking you out?” Suga asks while eating his rice off his chopsticks.

“Yeah, it’s getting a little excessive,” you say. It’s lunchtime, and you sit with the team, and across from you is your best friend, Suga. He looks at you with concern.

“I’m sorry. That must be stressful and somewhat annoying,” he says. You look down at your serving of rice balls. You laugh a bit.

“I wouldn’t call it annoying. I mean, I guess I wouldn’t really mind it normally, and I might even be flattered by it. Although, since it’s pretty much all the boys at this training camp, it’s overwhelming,” you say, still looking at your food.

“Yeah, I bet,” he says, noticing how defeated and tired you seem. He looks down at his own food, too, wondering what to say and how to comfort you.

“I know I’d be freaked out about it,” Asahi chimes in from your right. He has a look of nerves and sweat. You giggle at his expression. You grab a rice ball and start to eat it.

“Well, that doesn’t give her much help because you get scared over everything, Asahi,” Daichi says across from Asahi. Asahi’s expression worsens.

“Wha- hey, that’s not fair. I was trying to say that anyone would feel overwhelmed,” Asahi says, looking over to you. You giggle again.

“Thank you, Asahi. I do feel better,” you say, giving him a small smile.

“See? I did make Y/N feel better,” Asahi says.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure she only said that because she was just trying to make you feel better,” Daichi says while laughing. Asahi goes back to his nervous sadness. You, Suga, and Daichi all laugh. “Anyway, Y/N, you shouldn’t feel overwhelmed. If you need to, you can always tell the guys to kinda leave you alone. I’m sure they’d understand.”

“You think so?” you ask, perking up a bit.

“Definitely,” he says, giving you a reassuring smile. “I mean, you’re feelings are what matter, right?” he elbows Suga.

“Oh, yes. Absolutely,” Suga says, coming back to the conversation. Suddenly, Coach Ukai and Mr. Takeda come over to the table, saying that the next practice match is almost ready and to finish up. Everyone piles their food into their mouths and rush to get ready. While changing, you ask Kiyoko who you were up against.

“I think our match is with Seijoh,” she responds. Oh great, I get to talk to the Great King. All his flirting is kinda embarrassing.

“Oh great,” you say, putting on your Karasuno jacket. You, Yachi, and Kiyoko walk to the first gym, holding the practice match with Seijoh.

“Do you think Seijoh still holds a grudge because we beat them?” you ask Kiyoko quietly before entering the gym doorway.

“Oh, I’m sure they do,” Kiyoko replies without giving it a second thought and walks inside.

“I see,” you say, and you swiftly follow her.

When you walk in, the height of the gym still amazes you, and so does the size of the gym too. Man, Seijoh does really have such an excellent facility. The boys were warming-up with some stretches—all in a circle. You notice Kiyoko take a seat on the bench, and you decide to follow her and sit beside her. She begins to scribble some notes in her notebook while Yachi gets held up by Kindaichi and Yahaba. The poor girl is a nervous wreck while they try to “woo” her. You think about the whole confession thing. If you were honest with yourself, you wanted only one confession. Only one mattered to you, but there was no way because you guys were just friends. That’s probably all it ever will be.

“Hey there, little miss managers,” a voice grabs you from your thoughts. It’s the Great King, Oikawa. You could feel your embarrassment grow, and he didn’t even start saying anything yet. Kiyoko flat out ignores him as she scribbles in her notebook. “Aww, don’t be like that,” he says, fake pouting.

“I’m sorry,” you say awkwardly. You scratch the back of your neck nervously.

“Don’t worry about it. Say, have you given any thought about my question I asked you yesterday,” he says, leaning in a little close to you.

“Uh…not really,” you say, leaning back.

“What? Really? Well, I’ll be waiting,” he says and happily trots over to the other Seijoh third years. You let out a long breath.

“Oh, man, that was nerve-racking,” you say to Kiyoko. She doesn’t look up from the notebook.

“I don’t understand why you don’t just ignore him,” Kiyoko says. You laugh nervously.

“Well, that would be kinda rude, wouldn’t it?” you say. She huffs.

“Well, it gets him to leave, so it’s worth it,” she says. You laugh nervously again, not sure what to say.

Coach calls everyone over to practice receives and spikes. You and Yachi spend the next 15 minutes running after stray balls. As you’re running, Suga stops you while he waits in the receiving line.

“Hey, I saw Oikawa talking to you. Are you okay?” Suga asks, patting you on the shoulder. You jump at his sudden touch. He notices and jumps a bit too. “Ah, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. And yeah, I’m okay. I think Kiyoko turned him away,” you say, chuckling.

“Oh, I see. Her talents include shooing away weird guys, I suppose,” he says.

“Yeah, she is a master,” you say, laughing, and he joins in your laughter.

“Well, I’m glad that you’re okay,” he says, giving you a bright smile. You blush at his sweet smile.

“Yeah,” you say and look away from him nervously. “Well, I’ll let you get back to it,” and you get back to collecting the balls.

“Uh, yeah,” he says before turning back to the line.

After the warm-up, the practice game begins. The first set really kinda dragged, with the score finally ending with 28-26 in Karasuno’s favor. Even though we beat them in our last official game, they still are difficult opponents for us. I guess it only makes sense that they’re training just as hard as we are despite not making it to Nationals. Kiyoko notices your deep thoughts pose, with your hand on your chin and your eyes closed. Unfortunately, though, she wasn’t able to warn you in time for your dangerous encounter.

“Hey, Y/N-chan! Did you see my setter dump earlier? I totally threw off your whole team with it,” Oikawa says. You internally groan. Not this again.

“Uh-huh,” you say and turn away from him, but he follows your direction.

“I know it looked like a heat of the moment kinda thing, but I actually planned it a lot earlier,” Oikawa pats his chest with his palm. You only nod in response. “I guess you could say I was pretty cool, right?” he leans into you again. Why does he always have to get so close?

Before you have a chance to reply, someone comes up from behind you and puts their hands on your shoulders.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that,” they say. Wait, I know that voice. You turn your head to see Suga. He looks at you and smiles. “Is he bothering you?” His sudden intervention surprises you, and you couldn’t help but blush at the physical contact. You turn away from him and look at the floor. Oikawa glances at you and then Suga, then you, then Suga. You can hear Oikawa huff and stomp off. You look up and turn to Suga. He gives you a bright smile. “I don’t think he’ll bother you anymore.”

“Th-thank you so much, Suga,” you say while your face burns.

“Of course. If anyone else gives you trouble, just let me know,” Suga says. You nod, and it kinda feels like time has stopped as you guys stand there with his hands on your shoulders.

“Hey! Lovebirds, we have a second set, y’know,” Coach Ukai shouts from behind the two of you, knocking you out your dazes. You separate, and both blush. You walk over to Yachi and Kiyoko while he walks over to the team. The second set begins and lasts longer than the first one, but Karasuno still beat Seijoh in the second set.

“Who is the next practice match against?” you ask Coach and Mr. Takeda. They consult a piece of paper before answering.

“We have Fukuroudani next,” Mr. Takeda says, eyeing the paper.

“With that Bokuto kid,” Coach says, thinking.

“What’s wrong, Coach?” Yachi asks from beside you.

“Just that team is kinda hard. Meaning they’ll be a good challenge for us,” he says, smirking. You, Yachi, and Mr. Takeda laugh nervously.

“Oh, of course,” Mr. Takeda says.

“We should probably refill the water bottles before then,” you say to Yachi, and she nods vigorously.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea,” she says.

The two of you grab the water bottles and head out to the water fountain located outside the building. When you walk outside, it looked like the sun would start to set soon. It is that late already? I guess the Seijoh game lasted longer than we thought.

“Wow, it must be pretty late already,” Yachi says as you both walk towards the fountain.

“Yeah, it’ll probably be the last match for the day,” you say.

When you reach the fountain, you both refill the bottles and carry the bottles together on the way back. The game already started by the time you both returned. You and Yachi relax on the bench beside Kiyoko after the rough journey of the water bottles. The game was pretty close, but Fukuroudani still won 2-1.

“Don’t worry, guys, you did the best you could, and next time we will absolutely beat them,” Coach says, trying to cheer up the boys a little.

After the meeting, everyone goes to the dining hall for dinner.

“Finally, some food! It kinda felt like a long day today,” you say, walking with Kiyoko and Yachi to the dining hall.

“It was that long practice match with Aoba Johsai. That took a lot of our afternoon,” Yachi says, and you and Kiyoko agree.

“Mr. Takeda told me that tomorrow we play against Shiratorizawa and Johzenji in the morning, and in the afternoon, we are up against Date Tech and Inarizaki,” Kiyoko says. You and Yachi light up.

“Wait, Inarizaki? Aren’t they in the bracket with us for Nationals?” you beam. Kiyoko simply nods. “Wow, that’s so cool. I can’t wait to see what kind of team they are.” Yachi beams with you as she agrees.

You, Yachi, and Kiyoko decide today you would eat at the manager table instead of the team table. Well, more like the Fukuroudani’s managers, Yukie and Kaori drag you guys to their table. You all chatted idly while eating, and you felt like part of the manager group. It was nice.

“Okay, I can’t take it anymore. I have to ask you, Y/N,” Yukie says, pointing her finger at you.

“Hmm?” you mumble, still chewing your food. You swallow before continuing. “Uh, sure. What’s up?”

“There’s a rumor going around that you’re dating one of the third years on your team…I think the one with the gray hair,” she says, putting her finger on her chin now. You were about to bring your food to your mouth, but you drop it on the table after hearing that.

“Wh-WHAT?!?” you shout. “Where did you hear that?”

“I heard it from Akaashi,” Yukie says. “And he told me he heard it from Date Tech’s setter.”

“Yeah, I heard it too. Oikawa was the one who we heard it from,” Mai, Date Tech’s manager, says.

“O-Oikawa?” you look over at Mai.

“Yeah, he said you guys were really cozy during your practice match with his team,” Mai says, looking a bit nervous now from how you were acting.

“I see,” you say and look down at your food. You all sit in silence before you got up abruptly. “I’m not hungry… I’ll see you guys back in the room.” They try to stop you, but you run out before they can get you. I just a need a walk to clear my head, you think.

Why would Oikawa say all that stuff? I guess, now that I think about it, it did kinda look like that when Suga helped me. So, I think I can understand where the confusion came from. You then remember when Suga touched your shoulders and acted so calm. Your face starts to get warm. He probably was calm because he didn’t like me like that, so he wasn’t nervous.

“Y/N?” a voice says a little ahead of you. You try to make out who it is, but the setting sun blocks your view of the figure. But you know his voice all too well.

“S-Suga?” you call. You put your hand over your eyes as a self-made sun visor to see him waving at you.

“Uh, hey,” he says and looks to the side. “Hey…is there a way we could talk?” he looks back at you when he finishes.

“Oh, of course,” you say. Oh man, he must know about the whole fake-dating-Oikawa misunderstanding. You guys sit under a tree that was right beside him when you met up with him to have your talk.

“Hey, so, I know that you’ve been overwhelmed with all the confessions you’ve been getting, but…” he trails off.

“Is that why you made it look like we were dating when Oikawa was pestering me?” you ask. His eyes become wide like space saucers.

“I did that to make him go away, sure, but I never meant it to seem like that,” he says, and now your eyes become small UFOs too.

“Oh,” is all you can say. You both look down at the ground, both red as tomatoes. After a minute passes, you finally look up at him. “Wait, what were you saying before I interrupted you then?” He still doesn’t look at you.

“Well…I was planning on telling you my true feelings, but…I bet you wouldn’t want to hear it because of everyone else,” he says. You inch closer to him and grab his hand.

“That’s not true, Suga,” you say. He looks at you now. “You are the only person here that I care about when it comes to hearing anyone’s feelings,” you cover your mouth after that desperate word vomit. Suga just stares at your embarrassed face. Why did I let my mouth run? What is the matter with me?

“Y/N,” he says and grabs both of your hands. “I-I like you, and I want to take our friendship to another level. A more romantic level, if you’ll let me?” he says with a shy smile.

“Yes! Yes, I will!” you say and embrace him. He excitedly returns your hug.

“See? I told you they were dating,” Oikawa says from behind you two. You let go of each other and look at him and Iwaizumi.

“No, he just told her he liked her. Were you not just listening? Jeez, Shitty-kawa, your listening seems to be leaving you,” Iwaizumi says as the two of them pass you both by.

“My listening is excellent, Iwa,” Oikawa says as they walk away. “You’re always so mean to me.”

“Of all people to catch us, why did it have to be them?” Suga asks, looking up at the sky.

“I don’t care,” you say with a bright smile, and he looks back at you. “Let them talk, as long as they know that we’re together, I don’t care what people say.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope ya'll enjoyed Suga's chapter! Next will be Asahi!!


	3. Asahi Azumane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a day off, and you and Asahi spend the afternoon together with the managers' help and some of the third years' help too.

Whenever Asahi’s spikes got through a triple block, your heart always soared. He always looks so amazing and confident. Even though he might be anything but confident in the moment sometimes. Ever since your first day as a manager, you were in awe of him.

“I think this training camp is the perfect opportunity for you to tell him how you feel,” Kaori, Fukuroudani’s manager, says. You chuckle.

“Yeah, sure, let me just go and do that,” you say.

“That’s the spirit,” Yukie, Fukuroudani’s other manager, says. You give her a look.

“Seriously? There’s no way I could do something as bold as that,” you say. You and the girls were on your way to breakfast from your room, and after the managers heard about your crush, that was it for you.

“You have to! That ace of yours certainly won’t,” Yukie says. Kaori nods. There’s no way I could tell him, you think. I mean, it’s been two years, and I haven’t said anything. “Come on, he’s a third-year, right? This is probably your last chance,” Yukie nudges you with her elbow. She is right. He’s only got so much time left at Karasuno.

“Guys, I already told you I won’t do it at some training camp,” you say. They both pout and whine. “I’m serious. Besides, I don’t think Asahi likes me that way anyway, so there’s really no reason for me to say anything.”

“Well, how will you know if you don’t say anything,” Yukie says quietly. You nudge her this time.

“I heard that,” you say.

They stop prodding you when you reach the dining hall. The line for the food was too long. Maybe I’ll just skip the line and get cereal, you think. You grab your cereal and sit down at the manager table where Kiyoko and Mai, Date Tech’s manager, are already sitting.

“Hey, guys, what’s up?” you ask as you sit down.

“Hey, Y/N. We were just talking about today and how this is a rest day for the boys,” Mai says.

“We were saying how surprised we are that the coaches are letting everyone have a rest day,” Kiyoko says, eating an omelet.

“I’m just glad I didn’t have to wake up early this morning,” you say, putting your cereal in your mouth. Mai and Kiyoko laugh at that.

“Yeah, you slept in pretty late,” Mai says.

“T-that’s not true. I was just drained, that’s all,” you try to defend yourself, but they see through you. You shake it off, though. “Do you guys know what we are allowed to do today?” They both think for a minute.

“I think we are allowed to visit the town outside the school, but we can’t go farther than four miles outside,” Mai says.

“Yeah, Mai and I were saying how we’d like to explore and go shopping,” Kiyoko says. You perk up.

“Really? That sounds like fun,” you say. “Can I join you guys?”

“Of course, silly, all the managers are invited. We were hoping it could be like a little bonding experience,” Mai says. You jump up and down in your seat as Yukie, Kaori, and Johzenji’s managers, Hana and Runa, come to the table.

“Woah, Y/N. What’s got you all giddy?” Hana asks as she sits beside you.

“Oh, well, Kiyoko and Mai were saying that we should all go out exploring and shopping for our day off,” you reply, still bouncing a little.

“Shopping? Oh, I am so in,” Yukie says, clapping her hands together. Runa and Hana agree that it’ll be an excellent way to relax. Kaori was excited to see the town and the little shops and food vendors.

“We just have to tell Yachi,” you say. You all look over at the breakfast line, which has died down a bit. She is sandwiched between Tsukishima and Ushijima. She looks a bit scared. “And maybe rescue her as well.”

“On it,” Hana says and gets up from her spot next to you. She runs over to Yachi and rescues her from being swallowed up by the crowd of tall boys. She grabs Yachi easily and walks her to the manager’s table.

After eating breakfast, everyone puts on their regular clothes for once and gets ready. Yukie says how it feels like it’s been ages since she’s worn actual clothes instead of sweats. It does feel kinda weird to walk around in normal clothes when I usually wear the Karasuno jacket, you think.

“According to the weather, it’s gonna be pretty cold with a chance of snow, so we’d better bundle up,” Kiyoko says while grabbing a puffy coat.

“Aw man, I had this adorable outfit planned too,” Mai says, putting a teal dress back in her bag. “I guess I’ll just wear jeans and a sweater with a jacket over it.” Unfortunately, it seemed no one could really dress super cute because of the cold inhibiting the wardrobe choices.

As everyone walks to the gate, they see many of the boys walking to the entrance as well, and as luck would have it, Asahi was among them. All the girls look in your direction, but you just ignore their gaze. You could tell they were planning something, something evil and embarrassing. The girls walk up to the boys’ group, it’s a few third years from a few teams.

“Hey, guys! You going out too?” Daichi asks you all. All of you nod together. “Wow, what a coincidence we are too. We were gonna explore the area.”

“Oh my god, us too!” Yukie says and grabs you and Yachi close to her. “That IS crazy.” You give her a look, but she brushes it off. The boys consist of Daichi, Suga, Asahi, Moniwa, Kamasaki, Kuroo, Kai, and Yaku. They were also dressed for the cold weather in their everyday clothes. Wow, I have never seen some of them without their uniforms before, you think.

“Well, do you girls wanna come with us too?” Kamasaki asks. Yukie slaps you hard on the back before answering.

“Hell yeah, we do,” she says. Oh great, this’ll be fun, you think. I can’t wait to see how the events of this afternoon will unfold.

Everyone paired up with one of the boys to chat with because the number of boys and girls were both eight, oddly enough. Of course, the girls and even some of the guys made sure that you ended up with Asahi. You were starting to think that maybe this was all planned out, but it was just a hunch.

“So…are you having fun?” Asahi asks you. You look up at him. His scarf around his neck drags along behind him, and it’s thick enough to cover his somewhat hairy chin. Instead of wearing his headband, he wears a hat. His smile makes you start to feel hot.

“Yes, I am. Are you?” when you ask, you can see your breath cloud up in front of you. You didn’t think it was that cold. He hums in response.

“It is kinda nice to get out for once,” he says. He closes his eyes as he smiles and scratches the back of his neck. “Though I wish it wasn’t so cold. I didn’t bring good winter clothes with me,” he wraps his arms around his body and shivers a bit.

“You guys can go somewhere to warm up if you need,” Suga says from behind the two of you. Yachi nods swiftly while next to him. Yup, my hunch was correct, you think.

“Would that be alright with everyone?” Asahi says, stopping and turning to look at Suga. You couldn’t see Suga’s eyes, only his bright smile, but you just know that he’s hiding something.

“Of course, we all thought a few people would branch off anyway,” he says and then turns to you. You couldn’t believe it; everyone was in on this. You laugh nervously.

“I mean, it’s up to you, Asahi,” you look at Asahi now. He turns to look at you quick as a bunny.

“I have no problem with it at all,” he says, almost lightning fast. You kind of flinch back at his abruptness—something you weren’t expecting.

“Oh, alright, then, sounds good to me,” you respond. Suga puts his arms around your and Asahi’s shoulders and leads you both towards a small café.

“Well, I’m so glad we got that sorted out. Why don’t you both go in here and warm up? The rest of us will explore some more,” he says and pushes you to the entrance. Suga still has his smile, and you are really wondering how he’s able to stay composed. He waves you both off, and he and Yachi walk off, leaving you.

“That was interesting,” Asahi says. You silently glare at Suga as he princess walks away. “You okay?” You jump and look at him. He seems a bit concerned.

“Oh, yes. Of course,” you say and awkwardly try to laugh off the situation. He shrugs it off and opens the door to the café. You both are instantly hit with warmth and the smell of fresh baked goods. Maybe, this isn’t so bad, you think. The two of you walk in and wait for the host to give you guys a seat. A woman runs over to you both.

“Sorry ‘bout that. Do you guys want a table by the window or near the counter?” she asks as she rushes into the scene. You both exchange looks.

“It doesn’t matter where we sit,” you say and give him a small smile. He nods and turns to the hostess.

“We’ll take the table by the window,” he says. The hostess nods and grabs menus, and leads you to your table. The table is seated right next to the windows, with two chairs beside the windows. When you both get to your table, he shuffles towards the chair closest to you and pulls it out.

“Here you go,” he says, gesturing to the chair. Your eyes widen, and he smiles sweetly at you.

“Oh, thank you,” you say and sit down. You remove your jacket as soon as you hit the chair cushion. He takes the seat across from you as the hostess hands you both a menu. She leaves you in silence as you guys peruse the menu. They have cinnamon buns, crepes, donuts, and many other things. So many choices, you think. You peek over your menu to look at Asahi; he’s already taken off his jacket, scarf, and hat. You see that he’s wearing a long sleeve t-shirt. I guess he really didn’t pack for the weather, you think. You giggle quietly. He looks up from his menu and catches you staring at him.

“What?” he asks. You flinch and look out the window to hide your embarrassment.

“Oh, nothing, just spacing out trying to figure out what to get,” you say, which was half right. He gives you a reassuring smile.

“I know how you feel,” he says and goes back to his menu. You mentally curse yourself for getting caught staring at him. You guys go back to more silence until the waiter comes by.

“Hi, there! It sure is cold outside. Can I offer you guys the special?” he says at top speed. You and Asahi couldn’t get a word in until he stops. Asahi looks over at you, and you shrug.

“Uh, sure,” Asahi says. The waiter’s smile beams.

“Alrighty then, we have a nice sweet tea on sale, and our giant chocolate chip cookies are buy one get one free,” the waiter says. You love cookies, and maybe you could get the deal and save one for later.

“Yeah, that sounds good, I’ll have that,” Asahi says. The waiter nods and jots down Asahi’s order. “How about you? You can get whatever. It’s on me.”

“Really? Are you sure? I don’t wanna trouble you,” you say and look down at the table. Asahi laughs a bit, so you bring your attention back to him.

“It’s fine, I want to,” he says and gives you the most beautiful smile you’ve ever seen on him. You can feel your palms begin to sweat and your heart begins to patter.

“I’ll just have the sweet tea then,” you say and look back down at the table. The waiter jots your order down and scurries away. “Thank you, Asahi.” He looks at you curiously.

“What? Of course, it’s what upperclassmen do, right? At least, that’s what Daichi and Suga said. So, don’t worry about it,” Asahi says and rubs the back of his neck. Ah, so this was their idea, you think, but you didn’t think it was too bad. You were out with Asahi, just the two of you. Even if it’s not a date, you were still happy.

“Oh? Well, still, thank you,” you say. Asahi doesn’t answer you right away, so you look in his direction. He’s hiding his mouth with his hand.

“O-of course. It’s my pleasure,” he says, still covering about 60% of his face. You blush and look out the window and notice small white flakes falling from the sky. Your eyes light up, and you lean your upper body more towards the window. The snow is so beautiful.

“So pretty,” Asahi says while looking at you.  
“Yeah, it is,” you say and continue to watch the snow. The snowflakes are big enough to pile and make snow to play in. You think back to last year, when it snowed one day, and Tanaka and Nishinoya convinced everyone to play out in the snow. You made a snowman with Kiyoko, Suga, and Asahi. A memory you will always cherish.

“What’re you thinking about? You look kinda happy,” Asahi asks. You look back at him. He’s got his head resting in his palm.

“I was just thinking about last year when it snowed,” you say. He leans back in his chair a bit and starts to look scared.

“I still don’t know why Nishinoya thought it would be funny to put a snowball down my coat,” Asahi says and shivers. You giggle.

“No, not that. I was thinking about when we made a snowman,” you say and look back out the window.

“Oh yeah, that was fun. What did we name the snowman again?” Asahi asks. You laugh before looking back at him.

“We named it, Dump Truck, because and I’m quoting Suga, ‘because of his dump truck of an ass,’” you say, trying to imitate Suga. Asahi laughs heartily. Just then, the waiter slides in with your orders.

“Sorry about the wait. Here’s your food,” he says and gives your sweet tea and gives Asahi his sweet tea and his jumbo cookies.

“Thank you,” you both say. You look at one another and laugh. The waiter leaves, and Asahi immediately grabs one of the cookies.

“I can’t wait to dig into it,” he says. You cover your mouth and close your eyes as you chuckle. When you open them again, you notice that there’s a plate with the other jumbo cookie on it. You look at Asahi, confused. “You can have the other one. I was planning on giving it to you from the start,” Asahi says and hides his face a bit with his cookie. You blush and look back at the cookie.

“T-thank you,” you say.

“Of course,” he replies.

Just then, the door of the entrance opens, and it’s all your friends, all 14 of them. You curse the universe, again, but this time it’s about losing the moment to be with Asahi.

“There they are,” Suga waves at the two of you. You glare at him while Asahi stands to greet everyone. “Oh, I’m sorry. Are we interrupting something?” Suga asks smugly. Now, you were giving him a major death stare.

“I think we may have,” Yaku says. Daichi, Suga, and Kuroo all laugh smugly. Oh, great, so does everyone know now? You think.

Yukie pulls a chair right next to your table, and everyone else more or less does the same.

“So, are you guys having fun?” Yukie asks. You feel your face heat up.

“Y-yeah,” you say, but you don’t look at anyone. Instead, you look down at your cookie.

“Why are you guys here?” Asahi asks.

“The snow was starting to pile up, so we thought it would be a good idea if we got out of it,” Moniwa says.

“Oh, okay,” Asahi says. Yukie leans her chair closer to you.

“So, have you guys, you know?” Yukie whispers in your ear. You shake your head quickly. “That’s a shame.” She leans back again, and the waiter comes back.

“Uh, huh?” he takes a few steps because he notices the peanut gallery—everyone except you and Asahi laugh. “Uh, well. For the two at the window, I have your check,” the waiter says and waves the white slip of paper in the air. Asahi stands and grabs the check.

“How much is it?” you ask, starting to search in your jacket pocket for some cash. Asahi raises his hand up.

“I already told you don’t worry about it,” he says and sits down and searches his pockets. He finds the amount and gives the waiter his cash and a tip. Yukie leans her chair towards you again.

“He’s paying for you? This sounds like a date,” Yukie whispers. You immediately get all red.

“I-it’s not like that,” you say. Yukie raises her eyebrow while smirking. You look back out the window, still red.

“Uh-huh,” she says. Everyone starts to have their own conversations. The snow really is beginning to come down now. The trees and rooftops are practically covered completely. That sure was quick, you think. Asahi stands up from across from you and puts on his winter clothes. He grabs your hand.

“Hey, let’s go back to Aoba Johsai. It’s getting a little noisy,” he says with a warm smile. You practically melt.

“O-okay,” you say and stand and put on your jacket. You guys push through everyone and explain where you guys were off to. Everyone sends you off with high regards. Asahi lets go of your hand to open the door. When you reach the outside, the cold hits you instantly, and you shiver and close your eyes in response. You feel something on your head then on your neck. You look to your left and up to see Asahi is wrapping his scarf around your neck. When he notices you looking, he backs off.

“Ah, sorry. I should’ve asked before doing that, but you just looked so cold,” Asahi says and looks down at the snowy sidewalk. You smile to yourself and touch his scarf.

“No. It’s okay. Thank you, Asahi,” you say and look up at him with a sweet smile. You both begin walking back to Seijoh.

“So, how was your cookie and tea?” Asahi asks, but the two of you look down at the ground.

“It was delicious,” you say. You bury your head in his scarf a bit. The scarf smells like him, you think. You immediately snap out of your thoughts and curse yourself for thinking like that.

“I’m glad,” he says. You guys walk in silence for a bit before you remember, so you dig in your pockets. You grab some money and look at him and hold your hand out with some cash.

“For the cookie and tea,” you say. Asahi raises his hands up and does nervous jazz hands.

“Hey, hey, I already told you, don’t worry about it,” he says, looking a bit nervous.

“I know you only paid because Suga and Daichi said you should,” you say and try to hand him the money, but he dodges your attempt.

“T-that’s not true,” he says a bit loud. You jump a bit from surprise. “I wanted to…to treat you.” You look at him, shocked.

“Huh?” is all you can say. He looks away from you with his face all red. He covers his face with his hand again.

“I know, it’s kinda weird, but I wanted to hang out with you, you know, just us. I asked Suga and Daichi to help, and they said that they have my back. They even got the other managers to help out too. I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you. I just really wanted to be with you on my day off,” he says as a rushed splurge. Your eyes are saucers, and your jaw is practically on the ground. He bows deeply with his hands at his sides. “I’m very sorry for keeping it from you. Please forgive me.”

“Asahi,” you say, and he slowly raises his head. Once he does, you grab his head with your two hands and kiss his cheek. When you break away from him, he was more or less steaming with a profoundly bright red face. “Ah! I’m sorry!” you say and try to bring him back to reality. He comes back to Earth after a minute.

“Oh, my goodness,” is all he says. You giggle, which turns into a full-blown laugh. He joins in your laughter.

“Come on, let’s get back to the school,” you say, and he nods. You both start to walk again; he grabs your hand and intertwines his fingers with yours; his hand is warm despite it being cold outside.

“So, does this mean we’re dating?” Asahi asks.

“I think so?” you say.

“Good,” he replies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked Asahi's chapter! Next is Nishinoya!


	4. Yuu Nishinoya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noya feels down after losing matches against Inarizaki and Shiratorizawa, so the reader finds a way to cheer him up.

Nishinoya once said that a crowd always goes crazy for an insane receive, which is certainly true for you. You always went crazy when he received the ball in his unique ways. When he received Oikawa’s serves, Ushijima’s spikes, and saved blocked balls, they were always incredible. You love watching him play and have fun.

“Hey, Y/N, can you hear me?” Kiyoko says suddenly in front of your field of vision, and you jump back a bit. Your jump almost causes you to fall off the bench you both were sitting on.

“Y-yeah, sorry, what were you saying?” you ask, catching yourself before you fall.

“I was saying that Ushijima’s spikes are harder to receive today, and I wonder what the reason is,” Kiyoko says, watching the match with Karasuno and Shiratorizawa, while also writing in her notebook.

“Yeah, Nishinoya’s having a hard time receiving, and so is Daichi,” Yachi says from her seat beside Kiyoko. You look back to the match, the score 23-21 in Shiratorizawa’s favor. You could feel your breath get a bit cold, and you could feel your temperature begin to rise. You know it’s just a practice game, but you were still nervous for the guys.

“Stay loose, you guys. Don’t worry about it,” Coach Ukai says from the sidelines with Takeda standing beside him. You see Nishinoya slide across the court trying to dig out a blocked spike. He doesn’t reach it in time.

“Damn it!” he shouts and slams his fist against the ground.

“Don’t worry, we’ll take back the point,” Daichi says while helping Nishinoya up.

“Yeah, I’m sure you totally will,” Tendou says from the other side of the net. Nishinoya and Daichi glare at him while he walks away. You watch Nishinoya switch positions with Tsukishima, Noya looks even more frustrated than usual. You feel bad; you wish there was something you could do for him. Suga hands Noya a water bottle, and he gulps it down quickly. Suga seems as though he’s trying to comfort Nishinoya, who still looks pretty upset. During the play, Noya has some time to calm down and go back to his happy-go-lucky self. You feel relieved seeing his normal self return.

After this, Nishinoya is more on his game, but Karasuno still loses the match. Coach talks to the boys before they do their flying lap penalty and have a short break before the next game.

“Do you think we’ll do well in the next match?” you ask Kiyoko while she scribbles something down.

“I hope we do,” Kiyoko says and gets up from the bench to talk to Daichi, Suga, and Asahi. You look to see Nishinoya practicing his receives with Kageyama’s serves. Maybe I should talk to him, you think, but he seems pretty occupied. Yachi walks over and notices you staring at Nishinoya.

“Uh, Y/N?” Yachi says, trying to get your attention. You quickly look in her direction. “I think this next match is the last match of the day.”

“Oh. Do you know who we’re up against?” you ask.

“I think it’s Inarizaki,” she replies, and you go into a thinking pose. They’re also going to Nationals, and they’re seeded in our block, too, you think. I wonder what kind of team they are. We haven’t played them yet during the camp, so that’ll be kinda exciting. During your racing thoughts, Kiyoko comes back.

“Guys, we should be ready to start helping with the warm-up,” she says, and you and Yachi nod. “I heard from the other managers that Inarizaki is a tough team.” You and Yachi exchange nervous glances after Kiyoko says that. Jeez, how intense is their team, you think.

You and Yachi begin to collect some volleyballs to get ready with the warm-up while Kiyoko resets the scoreboard. You notice the boys from the Inarizaki team begin to approach your court. They’ve got some tall and scary guys, you think. You look over to Yachi whose scared out of her wits.

“Hey, Y/N, do you need help collecting the balls?” a voice from behind you says. You turn and see the 5’2’’ libero himself. You immediately feel your temperature rise, but it’s different from before.

“Oh, it’s alright,” you say, but he gives you his signature giant smile.

“Hey, come on. I want to help,” he says and starts grabbing the balls with you. You didn’t really have any reply, but you continued your job. After about two minutes of silence, you finally speak up from feeling awkward.

“So, how are you?” you ask, not really sure how you should start the conversation.

“I’m doing alright,” he says with another big cute smile. You feel your heart flutter a bit.

“Oh, well, that’s good,” you say. “I was worried that you weren’t doing too well because of the match with Shiratorizawa.” He stops for a second to stare at you.

“You were worried?” he asks, and you stop, realizing what you said.

“Uh, well, we all were, me, Yachi, Kiyoko, and Coach. We were all worried. That’s what I meant,” you say while waving your hands in front of you.

“Oh, okay,” he says and looks a bit disappointed, but you just assumed he was sad that Kiyoko wasn’t making a big deal out of it, and instead, it was you. Of course, he’s disappointed because I’m here instead of Kiyoko, you think. You both continue to pick up the stray balls in silence.

When you finish, you immediately go over to Yachi and Kiyoko, who had called you over. The two of you help with the warm-ups and finally sit back on the bench.

“The Inarizaki guys are pretty scary,” Yachi says as you guys watch them warm-up. She was kind of right too. They were a bit scary. Kiyoko takes out her notes.

“The players that are the biggest threats according to the data I collected yesterday and from the other managers are Ojiro, their ace, Atsumu Miya, their setter, Suna their middle blocker, and Osamu Miya, their other wing spiker,” she says, scanning the page with their names and jersey numbers.

“Oh, yeah. I’ve heard about the crazy Miya twins. They have some of the craziest sets in Japan,” you say, remembering a game you watched with them as your own research. Yachi shivers.

“Oh, dear,” she says.

After everyone is done, the first set begins. Their setter Atsumu is up to serve first. His whole demeanor is different. He seemed more cheery earlier. What happened? His serve is just as powerful and merciless as Oikawa or Kageyama’s serves. The boys didn’t even react to the serve out of shock. You and the other sideliners are also entirely in shock. Atsumu gets another serve. Oh, boy, you think. They need to cut-off this insane serve.

Atsumu throws up his merciless serve again, but Noya receives it just in time.

“Cover me,” Noya says as he rolls across the floor. Daichi hits the ball towards Kageyama, and he sets for Hinata. Hinata spikes the ball at top speed with their negative tempo set. The Inarizaki team is surprised and doesn’t receive the ball.

“So, that’s their insane quick, huh?” Atsumu says to his brother with gray hair, Osamu. Osamu just seems to nod in response. I wonder what they’re planning, you think.

Next is Tanaka’s serve; he throws it up and hits it over the net. The Inarizaki boys get the ball and spike it back over. Asahi gets to it just in time and sends it to Kageyama. Kageyama sets it for Daichi, who gets blocked by their middle blocker, Suna.

“Oh man, they’re pretty tough,” you say, and Kiyoko and Yachi both nod. The set continues, and it’s not really looking good for Karasuno. The match with Shiratorizawa already did a number on the guys, and now this. Atsumu and Osamu even copy Hinata and Kageyama’s quick. Nishinoya, Daichi, and Asahi all have a hard time digging out the ball. “This isn’t looking too good.”

“Yeah,” Yachi replies. Kiyoko writes a bunch of notes for everyone about the practice match. You feel even worse than the game with Shiratorizawa. The set ends with Inarizaki winning. Coach talks to the guys before they continue with the next set.

You and the other managers give the guys some water and words of encouragement. You see that Noya is by himself sulking. That’s not really normal for him, you think. So, you decide to try and make him feel a little better.

“Hey, I’m sure you guys will do better in the next set,” you say. He looks at you, and you try to give him a big smile. He starts laughing. “What?” you ask.

“Nothing, I just was laughing because I shouldn’t be upset. We got to Nationals, right? Everything will be okay,” he says. Oh, good, he’s alright, you think. But he sure takes a lot of 180s when it comes to his mood. You give him a water bottle that you were saving for him.

“Yeah,” you say. He gladly takes it and thanks you. “I saw your receives, and they’re just as good as ever.” He stares at you again like he did before.

“You really think so?” he asks.

“Yeah, I do,” you say and blush. “We all did,” you say, remembering that he only really cares about Kiyoko.

“Oh. Yeah, thank you so much, Y/N. I feel much better,” he says and hands you the water. He goes over to the rest of the team as they get ready for the next set. Kiyoko comes up next to you after he’s gone.

“So, how goes things?” she asks. You look over at her.

“Oh! Noya is doing much better. I think he’ll be okay,” you say. “He’s very good at being able to bounce back from things.” She laughs a bit. You give her a confused look.

“I was talking about something different,” she says. Your expression stays the same. She laughs a little again.

“Huh?” you say.

“Well, I meant your feeli-” she gets cut off by Takeda asking the two of you to come back to the bench.

“We’ll be right there!” you shout back to Take before looking back to Kiyoko. “What were you saying?” She shakes her head.

“Never mind, we can talk about it some other time,” she says and walks to the bench. You shrug and follow her.

The next set drags on a bit, but in a good way. Meaning, the boys were giving Inarizaki a much harder time. You feel a little better knowing that the boys weren’t as stressed and they were playing at their best.

“They’re playing a lot better now. I’m so relieved,” you say to Kiyoko and Yachi. They both nod in response.

“Yeah, they’re not as freaked out by Inarizaki,” Coach says.

“We still need to analyze and keep our guard up with the team because we are going up against them during Nationals,” Kiyoko says. You and Yachi both begin to sweat. Oh, man, that’s right, they’re seeded in our block, you think.

“That’s right. I’m actually kinda glad that we got to play them before Nationals because we can see what kind of team they are and figure out countermeasures before the real thing,” Coach says. I hope we can get countermeasures, you think.

The set continues, and unfortunately, Karasuno loses. Everyone’s spirits were not wholly tarnished, but the defeat wasn’t easy. You notice that Noya is wildly beating himself up about it.

“Maybe you should do something with him to help cheer him up,” Kiyoko says, noticing you staring at the libero. You quickly look back at her.

“Wh-what?!?! Like I could do that,” you say. You look at the ground to hide your red-hot face. Kiyoko giggles.

“It would definitely make him feel better, believe me,” she says and pats your shoulder. You look back up at her and narrow your eyes.

“What are you-” but before you can finish your sentence, Kiyoko pushes you towards Noya.

“Go on,” she says and walks away. You walk over to Noya, gathering his stuff and starting to head out and get ready for dinner.

“Uh, hey,” you say, and he stops to look at you. He gives you his signature smile. Man, that smile, you think. “So, do you wanna maybe…skip dinner and go into town?” you weren’t usually so forward, but you wanted to make sure that he would be fresh for tomorrow. His smile fades into a surprised jaw drop.

“Seriously?” he asks. You nod very quickly. His smile returns tenfold. “Wow. I’d love to, just let me get changed, and then I’m all yours,” he says and gives you a small smirk. Your heart leaps into your throat.

“Oh, sure,” you say. “I’ll, uh, meet you at the front gate.” He nods, and you both walk out of the gym together, but you walk to the gate while he walks over to “hotel” classroom. Then you remember you should tell someone that you guys will be going out. You take your cell phone out of your pocket and text Kiyoko that you won’t be at dinner and that you’ll be back late that night. After you send it, you lean against the wall of the gate and wait for Noya. Despite it being January, it was actually really warm out. Maybe we could get some ice cream, you think. He likes it, right? Or perhaps we should just get some food and come back?

“Hey, sorry to keep you waiting,” Noya says as he walks up to you wearing shorts and one of his printed t-shirts. You launch yourself from the wall.

“Oh, no, you didn’t keep me waiting at all,” you say. He laughs as you collect yourself a bit.

“So, what do you have in mind for us?” he asks.

“I mean, we are skipping dinner, so I thought we could find somewhere to go and eat,” you say. He thinks for a minute.

“That sounds good. I actually know a place,” he says. He grabs your hand and starts to walk a bit quick. He walks so fast that you barely have any time to comprehend the situation. He races towards a standing ramen place. You’re surprised. You had so many questions. How did he know this place? Has he been around here before? I didn’t know he likes ramen. He leads you over to the counter. You guys order your bowls and wait.

“So, how’d you already know this place?” you ask, looking around. It’s a pretty standard standing ramen shop with a long table, and you can see the chef making your food. Noya chuckles a bit.

“It’s actually a funny story. Tanaka and I both came here early to find good places to eat while we’re here,” he says. You laugh too.

“That’s why?” you ask.

“Yup,” he affirms. You both laugh at this.

“So, how should we deal with the bill?” Noya asks. You think for a minute.

“Well, I did ask you to come with me. So, I guess I should pay for us,” you say. Noya shakes his head.

“No way. The least I can do is pay for my ramen. So, we’ll split the bill,” he says.

“Are you sure? I was the one to suggest we should skip our free dinner at the training camp,” you say.

“That’s true, but-,” just then the ramen comes. You look at it, and you honestly thought it looked delicious. You look over at Noya, who is scarfing his down. You look back at your ramen and eat your first bite. You could feel stars flashing from your eyes.

“It’s delicious,” you say. Noya hums in agreement and continues gulping his ramen. Noya finishes his ramen in under ten minutes; you were genuinely surprised. He must have broken the world record, you think. You notice Noya slip a piece of paper to the chef after he finishes. “What was that?” you ask, still slurping your noodles.

“Oh, uh, nothing,” he says. You playfully narrow your eyes at him.

“Riiiiiight,” you peek past the counter and see the chef holding Noya’s check for his ramen. “Hey, I thought I said I would pay.”

“I know, but I felt kinda bad, so I paid for my ramen,” he says, scratching the back of his neck.

“It’s okay,” you say. If there is ever a next time, we do something together, I’ll pay, you think. You finally finish you’re ramen and pay for your half.

“I thought that since it’s pretty warm out, we could maybe get a popsicle?” Noya asks with a bright smile. You weren’t about to say no to that.

“Uh, yeah, sure. Sounds good,” you say and try to give him a bright smile too. You both walk towards a small convenience store, the only store that sold his favorite popsicles, Garigari-kun. You both go inside and scour the store for the coveted popsicle.

“I found it,” you say, pointing to the very back of the freezer.

“Nice work,” Noya says and holds his hand up for a high five. You slap his palm with yours, and he jumps to grab the popsicle. He looks at you as he jumps. “Do you want one too?” he asks. You nod, and he jumps again and grabs two. You both walk to the cash register and pay for your popsicles.

You both go back outside and sit on a bench that’s right outside of the store.

“I’m so glad they had Garigari; I was a little worried we wouldn’t find it,” he says as he begins eating his.

“Yeah, we’re lucky,” you say. He eats his popsicle in two bites. Just two. “You sure are a fast eater, Noya.” He looks at his wooden stick that’s left, and then at you.

“You think so?” he says, and you giggle.

“Is it a winner?” you ask, trying to look at the kanji written on his popsicle stick. He shakes his head.

“Aw, man, and I’ve been so lucky tonight. I thought for sure I’d have a winner,” Noya says, fake pouting.

“Lucky?” you ask.

“Yeah, of course. You asked me out, and that makes me the happiest and luckiest guy in the universe,” he says without really thinking. You stop eating your popsicle to stare at him with your jaw down. “What? It’s true,” he says innocently. Your face begins to get all red.

“Oh. Wow. Thank you,” you say. You look back at your popsicle and begin eating it again because you weren’t really sure what else you should do. Once you’re done, he launches himself from the bench and gives out his hand for your popsicle stick. You hand it to him, and he examines it like an archeologist looking at an old fossil. “Is it a winner?” He shakes his head. He walks over to the trash and tosses the sticks inside. He suddenly looks a bit nervous.

“You probably want to head back, right?” Noya asks. You shrug.

“If you want to, that’s fine with me,” you say.

“Well, maybe we could walk back kinda slowly?” Noya asks. You give him a curious look.

“Huh?” you say.

“Yeah, because it’s so nice outside,” he says. You look around you, and you have to agree, it is really pleasant outside.

“That’s a good idea,” you say. You get up, and the two of you begin to walk back to the camp.

“Can I ask you something?” Noya asks. You nod for him to continue. “Well, I was kinda wondering why you asked me out.” You feel your temperature rise and your heart patter.

“W-well, you looked kinda sad about the matches today, so I wanted to take you out to help you feel better. I know you probably would’ve preferred Kiyoko,” you say, looking at your shoes. Noya’s eyes widen.

“Wow,” is all he says. Damn it, why did I add that Kiyoko bit. I’m such an idiot, you think. “I gotta say, though, you’re wrong about that last bit.” You look at him now. He looks ahead of you, though.

“What do you mean?” you ask.

“I don’t want to have spent this evening with Kiyoko. I wanted to spend it with you,” he says. You stop, but he takes a few more steps before also stopping and turning back to you. You didn’t have anything to say due to the shock, so he continues. “I was super excited when you said you were worried about me and that you asked me out like this,” he says looking away from you now.

“Noya,” you interrupt him. He looks into your serious face, a little concerned that he might’ve upset you. “Being able to hang out with tonight has been the most fun I’ve ever had. I’m so happy that I got the chance to do this with you one-on-one.”

“Y/N,” Noya mutters.

“I have always been so shy to talk to you, and I know how social you are with Kiyoko. It kinda made me jealous. You always amaze me, and you’re so talented. I mean, you were the first guy I met on the team. You’re the first person I’ve ever really liked, and I always thought that maybe you just thought of me as a friend. But the truth is, I like you,” you finish. Noya doesn’t say anything for a while with his jaw open. You feel your heart begin to sink.

“I…I…like you too,” Noya blurts. “I always have ever since you became our manager, from the moment we met. I mean, I like Kiyoko, but you mean so much more to me.” You were speechless now. “I’m sorry that I confused you,” he says.

“N-no. It’s okay,” you say, looking down at the ground. You both stand there for a time. No one saying anything and instead just thinking. “Uh,” you break the silence. “We should really start heading back now.” He nods in response.

You both walk back to Seijoh in silence, which is incredibly out of character for Nishinoya. You wonder what he’s thinking about.

“Y/N,” he says, and his sudden calling of your name surprises you.

“Yes?” you answer.

“I think that…that we should go on a real date,” he says, again seemingly without thinking.

“R-really? Where did that come from?” you ask. He chuckles.

“Well, I gotta be a man and take you out on a real date. I mean, we told each other how we feel, right? It’s only right that I take you out,” he says, patting his chest. “As long as you want to, that is,” he turns to you with hope. You smile sweetly at him.

“You know my answer's gonna be yes,” you say. He gives you his big smile, and he jumps up in the air.

“Hell, yeah!” he shouts into the warm air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope ya'll liked Noya's chapter! Next is Tanaka!


	5. Ryuunosuke Tanaka

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tanaka thinks of himself as the protector of the managers, and the reader assumed that he did it to impress Kiyoko but that's not really the case.

Tanaka has always thought of himself as the managers’ protector; you believe that to be true too. If anyone were to come on too strong or threaten your guys’ safety, he always is there for you guys. You know he does it for Kiyoko, so you try to not let yourself feel anything other than friendship. It’s all for Kiyoko because he loves her, right?

You love having these thoughts during your morning walks right after breakfast. Nothing feels better than thinking about the boy who is in love with your friend. Tanaka’s just a friend, you know that. You know that.

You like walking around Seijoh and enjoying the mid-morning air. Also, getting away from the buzz of the camp is nice too. You walk past the gyms, the cafeteria, and the classrooms, and by the time you loop back around, it’s time for the matches of the day to start. The whole walk is probably around fifteen minutes. You sometimes even bring your earphones to listen to your playlist while walking around. You didn’t get your earphones and instead wanted to enjoy the morning birds and such. It’s an excellent way to start your day.

When walking, you sometimes see other people on jogs too, Oikawa or Kageyama will pass you sometimes, but today is different, of course. You pass by the gyms after walking out of the cafeteria first. You see Tanaka coming out of the gym while you pass.

“Oh, hey!” he gives you a giant wave. You wave back but not as intensely.

“Hi, Tanaka,” you greet him, and he leaps down the stairs to you. Nearly close enough to bump into you. Nearly.

“I had no idea you’d be out,” he says. You chuckle.

“I could say the same to you,” you say, and he laughs.

“I was getting in some practice,” he says. You look past him and into the gym.

“It’s empty,” you say, looking at some of the stray volleyballs.

“Yeah. I was practicing by myself. I couldn’t find anyone who wanted to come with me to practice,” he says.

“Really?” you ask, surprised. “Most people would jump at the opportunity to practice with the future ace of Karasuno.” He blushes a bit and looks away from you.

“You flatter me too much,” Tanaka says. You both laugh. “So, what’re you up to?”

“Just on a walk,” you say, pointing to the sidewalk path.

“Oh, that sounds like fun,” he says and looks back to the gym. “I know you’re probably busy but do you maybe wanna set for me?” he scratches the back of his neck when he looks back to you after finishing.

“Wha- me? I don’t know how to set. I’ve only watched Kageyama and Suga,” you say, waving your hands in front of your face.

“It’s okay as long as you get the ball in the air,” he says.

“Alright, if you say so,” you say. He grabs your hand and leads you into the gym.

“Thank you so much, Y/N!” he says and turns to give you a bright smile. You feel your face get somewhat hot.

“Of course. It’s a manager’s job, right?” you say.

“I don’t know about that, but I just know that you are the nicest to help me out,” he says and grabs a volleyball off the floor.

“Oh, uh…thanks,” you look down at the floor. He hands you the volleyball.

“Okay. I’m gonna run to you, and you throw the ball a little high so I can spike it,” Tanaka says. You nod and go beside the net and get ready. He goes to the end of the court and starts to run. You weren’t prepared, but you manage to get the ball in the air. You watch as his eyes follow the ball and spike it perfectly. The ball slams into the floor with so much force, you are sure that the ball almost flattens from the impact. He jumps down at the same time as the ball.

“Wow,” is all you can say.

“Yeah! That was awesome!” Tanaka turns to you. “Wow, you honestly could play as a setter if you wanted,” he says and pats you on the head. You look down at the ground again.

“Uh. Thank you,” you look at him now. “But your spike was amazing.” He blushes.

“Aw, thanks,” he returns back to his loud and perky self. “Let’s do a few more. If you’re okay with that.”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” you say and go to grab another ball.

The time flies while you set for Tanaka’s spikes. Over and over, you set, and he spikes. Every single spike is just as powerful as the first one.

“Huh? Oh, I didn’t realize there were people in here,” a voice says from the doorway. You and Tanaka stop while you are collecting balls to see who it is. You turn to see Johzenji’s captain. What’s his name again?

“Oh, sorry, we’ll wrap up,” Tanaka says and looks to you. “I guess they’re starting the matches; we should probably go to the gym next door for our match.”

“Right,” you say. You both finish collecting your balls and head to the entrance.

“Heeeey, I’ve seen you around. You’re Karasuno’s other manager, right?” Johsenji’s captain says.

“Yeah, that’s me,” you say as he kind of blocks you from leaving. Tanaka’s already standing outside waiting for you.

“Well, I gotta say you’re pretty cute. My name’s Yuuji Terushima. You should give me your number so we can chat, you know, outside of the games,” he says and smiles at you, showing a tongue piercing. Wait, you remember him. Kiyoko told you about him.

“I…uh…” you say as he leans in closer to you. “I’m… I’m good.”

“Awwww, come on,” he says, still leaning closer. “I’m way cooler than any of the guys here,” he says and throws his thumb behind him to reference Tanaka. You can’t see Tanaka, but he’s fuming.

“Hey, bro. She said no,” Tanaka says and grabs at Terushima’s shoulder. Terushima’s smile fades as he turns to Tanaka. “So, I suggest you get lost.”

“Oh? You threatening me, baldy?” Terushima asks. You peek behind his shoulder to see what’s going on. Oh no, I hope they don’t fight, you think. Tanaka doesn’t say anything, though.

“Tanaka?” you say behind Terushima.

“Come on, Y/N. If we don’t hurry, we’ll be late,” Tanaka says and extends his hand. You see it under Terushima’s right arm, and you take it. Terushima moves as Tanaka pulls you close to him. Your face gets warm again.

“Whatever. If you change your mind, cutie, you can always find me,” he says and winks at you. Tanaka glares at him as Terushima walks inside the gym. Tanaka lets you go, and you both begin to walk to the gym together.

“Are you okay?” Tanaka asks, giving you a concerned face.

“Uh…yeah, more or less,” you say. Tanaka pats your head again.

“I’m really sorry that happened,” Tanaka says. You shake your head.

“It’s okay. I appreciate you being there, though,” you say, and you give him a small smile.

“It’s no problem. I will always be there for you,” Tanaka says.

“Thanks, Tanaka,” you say, and he gives you a bright smile. You guys finally get to the gym and walk in to find most of Karasuno there already.

“There you guys are, we were starting to get a bit worried,” Daichi says from across the court.

“Sorry, boss. Didn’t mean to keep you guys waiting,” Tanaka says and runs towards him. He turns to wave at you as he runs. You wave back and walk over to Kiyoko, Yachi, and Fukuroudani’s managers, Yukie and Kaori.

“Where were you guys anyway?” Yukie asks, unpacking the water bottles from their holder.

“I was helping him practice his spikes,” you say, helping Yachi with your teams’ water bottles.

“Oh. For like an hour?” Yukie asks. You stop what you’re doing. Was it that long?

“Really? An hour?” you ask.

“Yeah. I mean, we know you go on walks in the morning, so we just assumed you got lost or something,” Yukie explains.

“But then we saw you with Tanaka,” Kaori chimes in. “So, we have some different thoughts about the whole thing.”

“What kind of different thoughts?” you ask and cross your arms in front of your chest and narrow your eyes at them.

“Just different thoughts, that’s all,” Yukie says, and she and Kaori go back to their team. You turn to Yachi.

“Do you know what they’re talking about?” you ask her. She suddenly looks incredibly nervous.

“Uh. Nope. Not at all,” Yachi says and runs off to go to talk to the other first years. You're left alone. What is going on? You think.

Karasuno’s first match is with Fukuroudani, and the game is intense. Man, Bokuto’s spikes are crazy, and Akaashi’s sets are just as good as ever, too, you think. Although, our spikers and setters are really good also. You look over at Kiyoko whose taking vigorous notes. You look to the other side to see Yachi looking blue and biting her nails. The game drags on, and the Coaches feel the dragging a bit as well as the players. They play four sets, and everyone looks exhausted. So, the coaches agree to let them have a break before continuing. You help Kiyoko and Yachi to give the guys water bottles and some words of encouragement.

“So, how’d it go trying to help Kageyama?” you ask Yachi. She looks down at the ground before answering.

“He just mostly stared at Fukuroudani’s setter,” Yachi says, and you both look at Kageyama, who was staring poor Akaashi down.

“Wow,” you say.

“How about you and the second years?” Yachi asks. You look over at Ennoshita comforting the second years.

“Honestly, it seems like Ennoshita’s got it covered,” you say, and she nods. “So, I’d say I’m lucky.”

“I think you should give some encouraging words to Tanaka,” Kiyoko says suddenly from behind you. This makes you and Yachi jump.

“S-sorry. What?” you ask and turn to look at her.

“You know, you should tell Tanaka how great you think his spikes are,” Kiyoko says.

“Wouldn’t it be better coming from you, though?” you say, and she shakes her head, almost looking disappointed.

“Y/N, Y/N, Y/N,” she shakes her head so more. You cock your head to the side.

“Huh?” you and Yachi both say.

“Just go,” Kiyoko says and takes Yachi with her to go do manager things. You look over at Tanaka whose talking with Nishinoya now. You think screw it and begin walking over. They both notice you, and Nishinoya gives Tanaka a suggestive look and scurries off.

“Uh, hey. What was that about?” you ask him, pointing to Noya.

“He just remembered he needed to do something,” he says very unconvincingly.

“Ah,” you say. “Well. Anyway, I just wanted to say that your spikes were amazing.”

“Really? Well, it’s because of your help,” he says and pats your head. He gives two small pats before pulling his hand away. “S-sorry. I don’t know why I keep doing that.” You look to your side.

“N-no, it’s fine,” you say. He returns back to his usual self.

“Anyway, thank you so much for all your help,” he says.

“Of course. It’s my pleasure,” you say and look down at the ground to hide your red face.

“Hey, guys! We’re starting the next set,” Coach Ukai yells to everyone.

“Oh, I guess it’s back to the game,” Tanaka says, and you nod. The two of you go your separate ways. You walk back to the bench where Yachi and Kiyoko are waiting for you.

“So, how’d it go?” Kiyoko asks as you sit down.

“Fine,” you simply say. You are still confused as to why Kiyoko was pushing you to talk to Tanaka.

The match begins again with the next set. All the boys have newfound energy and play at their best. Although, there is a reason why the game didn’t last as long as the first four. Akaashi sets for Bokuto, and he spikes it, hard. Tanaka is on the receiving end but flubs the receive. The ball flies across the court and hits you square in the face making you fall backward off the bench.

Everyone stops and rushes to your aid. Your legs still dangle on the bench and the last thing you see is blurred faces of some of the players and coaches. One face stands out to you as you begin to drift off, someone with a shaved head and small gray eyes. Then you close your eyes and sleep, or rather fall unconscious.

You wake up in the infirmary, and it’s dark outside. You feel a messy headache and try to smooth the pain, but there’s a taped bandage over your injury. You look to your right and notice a dark figure laying their arms on the bed, but they’re crossed. Their head is resting on their crossed arms. You are too delirious to act because you’d probably freak out normally. You look to your left and see a lamp; you rustle over to turn it on. You flip the switch and turn back to the sleeping person. You notice their hair first, it’s a shaved head that some would mistake to be bald.

“Tanaka?” you say, but he doesn’t budge. So, you scooch over to him and poke at his shoulder. He grumbles before raising his head up.

“Hmm?” he mumbles and looks at you. His eyes widen when he notices that you’re awake. “Y/N? Oh my god! Are you okay? I’m so sorry for what happened! It’s all my fault! I should not have flubbed the receive, and I’m the reason you got hurt. I’m so so so so so sorry,” Tanaka says as he jumps up from his spot on the bed. You still kind of were a little out of it, so you had practically no filter.

“Tanaka. It’s not your fault at all,” you say and pat his head. He stops freaking out when you touch him. Your smile grows when he calms down.

“Are you sure?” Tanaka asks. He looks down at his hands now. “I should’ve been there for you.”

“Tanaka, seriously, don’t worry about it. Just you being here with me is the sweetest thing ever,” you say. He gets all red.

“I mean, of course. It’s my job,” he says and covers his face with his hand.

“Haha, I know that. I bet Kiyoko was really proud of you for helping me out,” you say. He moves his hand.

“What?” he asks.

“Yeah. It’s all to impress Kiyoko, right?” you say.

“Uh, no,” Tanaka says, confused.

“It’s not? Then why? Oh, did Daichi say so?” you ask. He gets red again.

“No, that’s not it either,” he says.

“Okay, then what?” you ask.

“Well, I do it to protect you,” he says.

“Yeah, but it seems like you do that for me more so than you do for Kiyoko and Yachi, so why do…” then the realization settles in. “Oh.” Now you’re just as red as he is.

“You good?” he asks. You look down at your feet and then back at him.

“Yeah, yeah. At least I think so,” you say. “So, does this mean that you…that you…” you couldn’t even finish the thought because you were so embarrassed.

“Yeah, are you mad?” he asks. You give him a surprised look.

“What? Of course not,” you say, but you look away. “It’s just shocking hearing that.”

“It is? I thought I was obvious,” Tanaka says, more surprised than flustered.

“I guess I thought you liked Kiyoko,” you admit.

“I mean, I like her, but when I met you, everything changed,” he says.

“What? Really?” you say a little loud. He nods, and your jaw drops.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you. I guess seeing that Johzenji guy hit on you and you getting injured…I guess I felt like it was kinda now or never,” he splurges. You don’t say anything for a bit. “I understand if you don’t feel the same way.” You grab his hand.

“Tanaka, that’s not true. I…I have been trying to tell myself, for all this time, that everything you did was for Kiyoko. I couldn’t say that I loved being around you and when you help me and save me,” you say and squeeze his hand with yours. You both look down at your hands, and both get red. “Anyway, what I’m trying to say is…I like you, Tanaka.”

“Really?” he shouts. You put your other hand on his shoulder.

“Really, Really,” you say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Tanaka's chapter. Next is Ennoshita!!


	6. Chikara Ennoshita

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can't sleep, so you decide to go out to get some food with Ennoshita tagging along. You both talk about your insecurities and feelings.

No one ever really pays attention to Ennoshita; sure, he covered for Daichi during the game with Wakunan South, but that really was the only time people really noticed him. He feels like no one notices him.

You kind of feel the same way. You feel like you’re the other manager. The manager that people don’t really notice. Sure, they know you, but Kiyoko is smart and beautiful, and Yachi is cute and talented. You’re just you.

You continue lying awake in your cot next to Kiyoko and Yachi, who are both sound asleep. Your insecurities always plague your mind at this time. You turn over to your right and check the time on your phone, 11 p.m. You really need to get back to sleep; it’s an early morning tomorrow.

You toss and turn so more; you really need to get back to sleep. You just can’t, so you stare at the fluorescent lights that are now off. The darkness is not as unseeing but visible to you now because of your sleepless night. You can’t take this anymore; you have to get up.

You stand up and creep to the doorway, making sure not to step on anyone on the way. You open the sliding door to reveal the windows showing the moonlight. The crescent moon is the only bright thing in the sky, no airplanes or streetlamps. Maybe I should go for a walk or something, you think. It’s really dark, though; I might get lost.

“Oh, hey,” a voice says to your right. You turn to see Ennoshita three doors down coming out of his room.

“Ennoshita, hey,” you say and wave. He walks towards you.

“What’re you doing up? It’s pretty late,” he says, reaching you.

“I couldn’t sleep,” you say.

“Same, Nishinoya and Tanaka snore like bears. I had to get away,” Ennoshita says and gestures to their room. You chuckle.

“Are they really that loud?” you ask, looking to the door.

“Yeah, they are. Here let me show you,” he says and leads you to the door he came out of. You both walk over to the door and put your ears against it. Sure enough, the snoring is as loud as ever. You cover your mouth as you laugh, and he laughs along with you.

“Oh my god, you were right,” you say, and he puts his pointer finger over his lips and shushes. You do the same, and you both laugh some more. You both walk over to the windows and away from the door, so no one hears you.

“So, what’re you doing out in the halls?” Ennoshita asks while leaning on the window.

“Well, I couldn’t sleep, so I thought maybe I could go for a walk or something,” you say.

“A walk? This late? That could be kinda dangerous. You don’t know who could be out there this late,” he says, getting off the window. You give him a surprised look.

“I’ll be fine; besides, I was on the fence about it anyway,” you say.

“Well, if you are going, I should come with you,” he says and looks down at the ground.

“Oh? Why?” you ask, intrigued.

“W-well, you know…to make sure you don’t get hurt or lost,” he says and looks back at you now. Your eyes widen.

“You’d come with me?” you ask, hopeful. You did kind of want him to come with you. It would be nice to have some company.

“Well, yeah. I can’t let you leave without a…a…” Ennoshita tries to find the right word.

“Bodyguard?” you finish, and he laughs.

“Yeah, something like that,” he says and rubs the back of his neck.

“Okay, then let’s go,” you say.

“Huh?” he says and puts his hands down to his sides.

“Let’s go,” you say and grab his hand. You walk down the halls, to the stairs, and finally out the door.

“Do you think anyone saw us?” he asks, looking back at the building.

“I sure hope not,” you say and look up too. You shrug it off and continue pulling him along. If anyone does see us, I hope they don’t say anything to the coaches, you think. You reach the gate of the school and let go of Ennoshita’s hand. You look out the doorway to see what you can find. You turn back to Ennoshita, who seems almost sad, but when he sees you looking his way, he goes back to his friendly self.

“Where would you like to go?” he asks and looks out at the city as well.

“Hmm,” you hum and go into your thinking pose. “I’m kinda hungry. We eat dinner kinda early, so I’m still a bit famished.” He chuckles.

“You’re hungry? I guess we could maybe find a place to get some food or something,” he says and leads the way onto the street. The walk doesn’t take long for you guys to find a small store. Ennoshita jokes that it’s just like Coach’s store back home, and you agree, and just like the Coach’s store, the manager gives you some leftover buns.

“For the sweet couple, a discount,” the manager says as they wring you guys up. You both become incredibly flustered.

“W-we’re n-not a c-c-couple,” you say and give the manager some cash. They look sad as they put the money in the cash register.

“What? Really? That’s a shame. You both look so cute together,” the manager says and gives you your change. Ennoshita takes the sweet buns and thanks the manager. “You’re very welcome. Have a good night,” they say and wave you both off. You hesitantly wave goodbye, and Ennoshita thanks the manager once more.

When you exit the store, your thoughts are racing about what the manager said. I can’t believe the manager said that. We aren’t dating. Why would they just assume that? Why do I feel so weird about it too? It was actually kinda…no no no no…don’t go there. But how did Ennoshita react? He acted so calm and normal. Again, lots of racing thoughts. You feel a hand on your shoulder, and you see that Ennoshita is trying to get your attention.

“Hey. Y/N. Can you hear me?” he asks and shakes you slightly. You jump when you come back to Earth. He jolts back because of your startling jump.

“Ah! Sorry. I just zoned out there for a sec,” you say, and he laughs it off.

“Yeah. I noticed,” he says and laughs, and you fake pout.

“Hey!” you say and try to grab the bag that contains the sweet buns. He holds it above your head so you can’t reach it. “Hey! I paid for those, meanie.”

“Oh, right, of course, here you are, madam,” he says and hands you the bag. You snatch from him just in case he pulls the same trick. You take out one bun, and he takes the other. You throw away the bag into a nearby garbage can. “Well, since we’ve gotten some food, I think it’s time to head back now.” You take a bite of your sweet bun.

“What? Already,” you say with some bun in your mouth. You swallow before continuing. “We can’t go back now.” You give him the best puppy dog eyes you can manage. You can tell he’s starting to be hesitant about leaving.

“Okay, okay. But not for much longer. We gotta wake up early tomorrow,” he says.

“You got it,” you say. You start looking around the area.

“What’re you looking for?” he asks, trying to follow your scan.

“We should find somewhere to eat,” you reply, still searching.

“Oh!” he shouts and points a little ways back to the school. “There was that park we passed by. Do you wanna go there? It’s all lit up and looks safe.” You follow his point to see a well-lit park. You do remember passing it, but you didn’t really give it much thought at the time, but it’s pretty cute.

“Yeah. Sure,” you say. You both begin walking towards the park with sweet buns in hand.

You reach the nearby park and find a bench to sit on and finish your sweet buns. The bench sits under a streetlight on the edge of the park. You sit down and pat next to you, indicating for him to join you. He sits down and finally takes the first bite of his sweet bun.

“Thank you so much for the sweet bun,” he says after swallowing.

“Well, thank you for protecting me from danger. I guess you could say we’re even now,” you say. He laughs nervously.

“I guess you really didn’t need me, huh?” he says. You turn to him completely.

“What? No way. I’m so happy you came with me,” you say and give him a big genuine smile. He returns your smile.

“Really?” he asks. You nod at top speed.

“Absolutely, I’m super glad it was you. I’m having so much fun,” you admit.

“Thank you,” he says and looks down at the ground. “I’m delighted that you’re having a great time with me.” You look at him, confused.

“Well, of course, I am. Why wouldn’t I?” you ask, trying to get him to meet your gaze.

“Well, it’s just that…I don’t know…I feel like I’m kinda boring,” he says and stops eating his sweet bun. He’s halfway through, but he lets it rest in his hand.

“What? Boring? You? No, you’re not boring at all,” you say, almost offended that he feels this way.

“I’m not?” he asks. He looks at you now with hope in his sleepy eyes. You shake your head.

“No, not at all. I think you’re hilarious and so sweet,” you say, trying to hype him back up. “And you always ask me how I am, and you always keep the other second years in check, and that’s something I really admire about you.” You didn’t realize that you’d been rambling. He has a look of soft shock. You finally stop and comprehend what you said. You feel like you’d maybe gone too overboard.

“Wow, I had no idea that’s what you thought of me,” he says. You feel pretty embarrassed. I should’ve toned it down, you think.

“Well. I was just honest,” you say and go back to your own sweet bun. You both sit in silence for a bit before Ennoshita clears his throat.

“Hey, I just wanted to thank you for saying all that. It made me feel really special,” he says and gives you a handsome smile. You feel your face get hot.

“O-of course,” you say, not really sure how you should respond. “I kinda know how you feel, though.” He gives you a confused look but waits for you to continue. “I feel like I’m not super interesting either.”

“What?” he says and throws his sweet bun on the ground and grabs your shoulders. “You’re never, ever boring. I’d say you’re the most passionate and interesting person that I know.” He looks directly into your slightly sad eyes. His face is determined and just, something you only saw when he played volleyball. “You should never say that about yourself. You are incredible. I mean, everyone thinks so.” You give him a warm smile.

“Thank you, Ennoshita,” you say and raise the hand that’s not holding your sweet bun to his. You grip it slightly, and he calms down a bit.

“You’re welcome. But, seriously, you are the best person I know, and I don’t want to hear you say that you don’t like yourself,” he says and looks away from you.

“Yeah. The same goes for you,” you say, and he turns back to you, confused. “I think that you’re the best person I know too and that you shouldn’t talk bad about yourself.”

“Thanks,” he says and looks happy and nervous. You look back out into the park and notice his abandoned sweet bun. You burst out laughing.

“Well, there goes the bun,” you say in between laughs and point to it. Ennoshita looks as if he turned to stone, making you laugh even harder.

“No, why?” he says and gets up from the bench and crouches to the dead bun. You could swear you saw some tears. You also hear him mumbling to himself. You get up the bench too and crouch beside him.

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” you say and pat his shoulder.

“Thank you. I thought that my sweetie had more time, but I guess it was taken too soon,” he says and fake cries. You can’t help but giggle.

“Come. It would’ve wanted us to continue on,” you say and pat his shoulder again but still giggle at the end, and he fake sniffles.

“I know. I know,” he says, and you both stand. “Goodbye, my sweet bun. I will miss you.” He blows the sweet bun a small kiss. You hand him your unfinished sweet bun. “Huh? Why are you giving it to me?”

“Well, I figure you need it to help the pain,” you say, and he laughs. He takes it, and you begin to walk back to school.

“What time is it?” he asks while chewing.

“Ew, don’t eat with your mouth full,” you poke his cheek.

“Sorry, sorry,” he says after swallowing.

“It’s okay,” you check a clock on the side of a building. “It’s midnight.”

“Really? We should probably hurry back,” he says, taking the last few bites.

“Yeah, you’re right,” you say. You both start to pick up the pace back to the school. 

You finally reach the gates and creep back into the classrooms. You catch him right before he goes inside his room for the night.

“Hey, thanks for coming with me tonight,” you whisper. He gives you a soft smile.

“Of course. Thank you for asking,” he whispers back.

“Maybe we could do it again sometime?” you ask. He gives you a newer smile, one that’s more mischievous.

“Y/N, are you asking me out?” he asks. You blush and look away, but he grabs your chin to meet his gaze. “Cause if you are, I’d gladly accept.” You blush, even more, something you thought couldn’t happen. He leans in and kisses your forehead. “For sweet dreams. I’ll see you tomorrow.” And with that, he leans back and lets go of your chin. He turns to his door, opens it, and goes inside. Not without waving to you, of course.

“Goodnight, Ennoshita,” you say, charmed.

“Goodnight, sweet bun,” he says and closes the door. You melt as soon as he’s gone. It’s such a cheesy nickname, you think. I love it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Ennoshita's chapter! Next is Kinoshita!


	7. Hisashi Kinoshita

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kinoshita really likes the reader but thinks he doesn't have a chance, but when he helps the reader out even though he would get in trouble, the reader gets him a gift to say "thanks," and that changes some things.

Every little manager thing you did Kinoshita noticed. Every time you help him with his jump float serve. Every time you would bring in snacks for everyone. Every time you filled his water bottle for him. He remembered it all. You probably didn’t really notice him, though. Not that he would blame you. He wasn’t in the starting line-up, and he pretty much never gets to play in the games. His affection for you was one-sided, and he knew that. He accepted that, as much as it pained him.

“Kinoshita? Are you ready to go?” Narita asks, coming up behind Kinoshita, who stands at the window of the classroom the boys live in.

“Huh? Oh! Yes, yeah, sorry. I’m ready,” Kinoshita says and turns to Narita, who is holding his bag.

“We can’t be late. You know that,” Narita says, handing Kinoshita’s bag to him. “Coach will get mad at us if we’re late.”

“Yeah, sorry. I was just zoned out, that’s all,” Kinoshita says and grabs his bag.

“Zoned out? Thinking about our manager?” Narita says with a small smile. Kinoshita hides his face with his hand. Narita punches Kinoshita’s shoulder lightly. “Well, haven’t you heard?”

“Huh? Heard what?” Kinoshita asks as he rubs his shoulder.

“Our second-year manager is super popular with the other teams,” Narita says.

“Really? Well, that doesn’t surprise me. I mean, she’s so pretty and nice,” Kinoshita says down-cast.

“Uh-huh. Well, you should, you know, tell her how you feel. All the second-years agree,” Narita says.

“Really? All the second years,” Kinoshita says suspiciously. Narita looks away from Kinoshita, embarrassed.

“Well, okay, maybe not all of us. Just me and Ennoshita,” Narita says. Kinoshita narrows his eyes at Narita.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Kinoshita says. The two begin walking towards the door when Nishinoya pops in.

“Where did I put them? Huh? What’re you guys still doing here?” Nishinoya says while running to his knee pads.

“We are just about to leave,” Narita says. Nishinoya runs to them now.

“Well, you’d better hurry. We’re starting soon, and we’re up against Seijoh first,” Nishinoya says before running back out the door again.

“So, he ran in, grabbed his things, lectured us, then ran out,” Kinoshita says.

“Yeah, I can’t believe he’s the second oldest second-year,” Narita says. Kinoshita turns to Narita and pats him on the back.

“You’re not much of a leader even though you’re the oldest, Narita,” Kinoshita laughs. Narita pouts.

“Hey, I do just fine,” Narita says. “Anyway, we should really hurry if Nishinoya’s lecturing us.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Kinoshita says. And with that, they headed to the gym.

Kiyoko and Yachi asked you to fill the water bottles while they set up the scoreboard, chairs, and other such things. The water bottles and the holders were kind of heavy enough without the water. Oh man, I hope I can get them back in time, you think. You finally lug them to the water fountain and fill them up. Maybe I should put them on a cart or something, you think. The stares you get from the people passing by were certainly not helping. You look down at the cases of water. Man, it’s heavy, you think.

“Uh, do you want some help with that?” someone asks. You look up to find light brown hair and small blue eyes.

“Oh! I’m fine, Kinoshita. You’ve gotta get to the practice match with Seijoh, right? So, I’m all set with these,” you say with the best fake smile you can muster. He doesn’t buy it, though.

“Are you sure? It’s really no problem. I don’t mind,” he says and takes one of the cases. His helpfulness is something that always makes you feel all flustered, and his smile too.

“Thank you so much,” you say. You both walk to the gym together with the cases. “Won’t Coach get mad at you for being late?” He laughs a bit.

“Yeah, probably, but it’s worth it,” he says, looking ahead instead of looking at you. You find that to be odd. You respond to his reaction more than his words.

“O-oh,” you reply. The rest of the walk is silent. You mentally curse yourself for not being more talkative. I know him well enough, so why am I so flustered? When you walk into the gym, the boys already started their warm-up. As soon as Coach sees Kinoshita, he glares at him. He apologizes and sets the case down beside you before running over to the court, where he gets an earful from Coach and Takeda. Yachi and Kiyoko are quick to your aid.

“I feel bad; he’s really getting it,” Yachi says as she helps you with your case.

“Yeah,” you say, watching Kinoshita take the heat. You’re so grateful to him for helping you even though he’d get into trouble. You, Yachi, and Kiyoko bring the cases to the benches and sit.

“Are you alright, Y/N?” Kiyoko asks, she can read you like one of her notebooks.

“I just…still feel kinda bad,” you say, looking at your knees.

“I’m sure it’ll be alright. The coaches didn’t give him too much of a bad time. He was helping you after all,” Kiyoko says and pats your shoulder. You look at her now.

“That’s true,” you perk up. “Thanks, Kiyoko.” She gives you a small smile.

“Of course,” she says, but before turning back to her notebook, she says one more thing: “Maybe you should get him something as a thank you.” Your face gets all red.

“Are you crazy? I can’t do that. I’ve got no time, and besides, it’s not like I know what he’d want. What if I did get him something, and he hates it? What if the whole exchange is awkward as hell? Wait, what if I get him something and he’s allergic to it?” you ramble.

“I think whatever you get him will be fine,” Kiyoko says. She and Yachi are surprised by your sudden rambling. Sure, you rambled sometimes but not usually like this. You place your hands on Kiyoko’s shoulders.

“How can you be sure?” you ask. Honestly, you thought, shaking her but didn’t at the last second.

“I’m assuming,” she says with her eyes wide like saucers. You move your hands from her shoulders to your face, covering it. You shake your head.

“Yeah, I’m sure it’ll be good whatever you get,” Yachi says from beside you on the other side. “You are really good at giving gifts.” You face forward again and place your hands on your knees.

“Thanks, Yachi,” you say and go into your thinking pose with your eyes closed. Kiyoko and Yachi know that when you’ve set your mind on something, there’s no point in swaying you or distracting you. What’s something that he likes? I remember he said something about picking particular sushi. Yeah, back when all the second years went out together to celebrate getting into Nationals. What was it again? Something with a p and a g. Something pickled. Pickled…pickled, you almost have it. Come on; he ordered sushi with pickled something. You snap your eyes back open.

“Pickled ginger,” you say out loud. Yachi and Kiyoko look at you, confused. You give them a big smile. “I know what to get him.”

You don’t really condone lying or desertion, but this is a critical mission. You still can’t believe that the coaches accepted you when you said you were sick, but you’re not complaining. You’re plan? You fake sick and go into town to get Kinoshita’s “Thank you” sushi, then you wait till lunch and somehow give it to him without the leering eyes of other people. Yeah, it’ll totally work, you think, trying to gulp down your fear. It’s a foolproof plan, right?

You try every store within four miles, but none have the pickled ginger sushi. You’ll have to travel outside of the designated travel area. You’re a bit nervous about doing so, but you have to. You still aren’t having much luck, though. The stores only have select sushi, but not the one Kinoshita likes. You are not giving up, though. After the 15th store, Kiyoko texts you saying that there’s one more match that Karasuno has before lunch. So, about an hour. You kind of need to hurry. Finally, the 19th store has the pickled ginger sushi. The sushi sits under a beautiful cooling light all by itself. It’s so heavenly. You purchase it and race back to the school. You stop at your room to try and find a small bag or something to put it in. You settle on a gift bag your mother gave you for snacks. You dump the snacks out and place the sushi inside.

You grab the bag and race back to the gym. You enter out of breath as Kiyoko and Yachi clean up while Karasuno does their flying laps. Date Tech packs up their stuff to get ready for lunch.

“Woah. What’d I miss?” you ask, approaching Yachi and Kiyoko. They exchange looks before Kiyoko answers.

“We beat Seijoh but not Date Tech,” she simply says. You give them a surprised look.

“Really?” you ask. They both nod.

“That’s a cute gift bag,” Kiyoko says, pointing at the bag. The bag has little hearts and stars on it, not exactly a “thank you” gift kind of print. You clutch it to your chest.

“It’s from my mom. It’s all I had,” you say, looking away from them now. They both giggle.

“You were gone for a while,” Kiyoko says. You put the bag down at your side again.

“Oh, I had to go to like 50 different stores to find the right sushi,” you say, exasperated.

“50?” Yachi squeaks.

“Okay, maybe not 50, but I had to go to quite a few stores,” you say. You three continue to chat while you help them clean up. Kiyoko still pokes fun at the cute bag. You had been so invested in cleaning and talking to them that the team disappeared by the time you were done.

After the mountains of apologizing from the two of them, you guys sit on the floor to strategize your plan. You only have 45 minutes for lunch, so you got to think of something fast.

“Okay, how can we get him to leave lunch early?” you ask. The boys change out of their clothes for lunch to get new ones for the next part of the day.

“We should track him down, now, right?” Yachi says, and you and Kiyoko look at her with surprise. She’s not exactly the type to say stuff out of the blue.

“Why?” you ask.

“W-well, wouldn’t it be better for him to eat the sushi instead of lunch,” she says. You don’t say anything for a second. You look down at the ground with a grim face.

“Why didn’t I even consider that?” you say, slamming your hand onto your forehead.

“I-I’m so sorry,” Yachi says and gives you nervous jazz hands. You turn to her with your same expression.

“Why are you apologizing? I’m cursing at my own mistakes,” you say.

“Guys, we need to go back on task. We need to help Y/N,” Kiyoko says. You look at her with puppy eyes.

“Kiyoko, thank you. I didn’t know you cared so much,” you say. She shrugs.

“Well, we foiled your plan earlier, so it’s only right,” she says.

“Thank you so much, you guys,” you say to both of them.

“Woah, what did I stumble into?” a voice from the entrance says. Kiyoko and Yachi face the door, so they already know who it is, and by their reaction, you deduce who the voice belongs to.

“Uh, nothing,” Yachi says very unconvincingly. You facepalm again for the 100th time that day.

“Oh, well, just ignore me. I’m just getting my jacket,” he says and goes to the chairs. Kiyoko pats your shoulder before getting up and taking Yachi with her. You can hear her mental “good luck.”

“Well, we’re leaving, but Y/N needs you for a minute. Do you mind?” Kiyoko says when she reaches the door. Kinoshita’s face grows red.

“N-no, not at all,” he says. You finally get up from the floor with your bag in hand. You turn on your heels and walk towards him with determination. “So, what’d you need to tell me?”

“Well…it’s about earlier today. I wanted to thank you for helping me out,” you say, twiddling your fingers.

“Oh, of course, I was happy to help,” he says with a small smile.

“I know the coach yelled at you for being late, so I…I got you something. You know, just a little thank you gift,” you say and hand him the bag. He takes hesitantly with such happiness and surprise.

“You didn’t have to do that,” he says while reaching inside and pulling out the sushi. His eyes sparkle under the gym lights, and he gasps audibly. “You…you got me…” he can’t even finish.

“I know you said pickled ginger is your favorite, so I went out and got it,” you say and look to the side.

“Thank you so much, Y/N,” he says and gives you a sweet smile. “I can’t believe you remembered.”

“Yeah. I thought back to when we all went out to celebrate the win against Shiratorizawa,” you say, scratching the back of your head. He laughs a bit.

“Wait, is that why you were gone all morning?” he asks. You look away again.

“Y-yeah,” you say. He grabs your hand and gets a bit closer to you.

“Thank you, you didn’t have to, but you did, and I’m so grateful to you,” he says. The proximity makes you blush, he notices and lets go of your hand and backs away.

“It’s no problem. I was glad to do it,” you say, and you both fall into silence. You both stand there for a bit before Kinoshita glances at the clock on the gym wall.

“Oh. Lunch only has 20 minutes left. You should get something to eat before it’s over, or maybe…” he trails off.

“Or maybe?” you ask.

“I thought we could share the pickled ginger, but you probably don’t like it, so it was a stupid thought,” he says, trying to laugh it off nervously.

“Huh? Well, I guess I could try it,” you say, looking at the sushi.

“Really?” he asks.

“Yeah, sure,” you say. I mean, I did go through so many stores to find it, so I am somewhat curious about how it tastes, you think.

You both go to one of the benches and sit down. You each grab one; you inspect it thoroughly. He laughs.

“It’s not gonna bite or anything,” he says while holding his.

“I know, I know. I just wanna see the stuff in it,” you say, and he laughs again. You finally give in and pop it into your mouth. You swallow, and your face lights up. “Wow, it’s actually pretty good.”

“I’m glad you like it,” he says and eats his.

“Jeez, no wonder you like them so much,” you say and pick up another, but you immediately put it back.

“You can have as many as you want,” he says. You take another and eat it. You both continue to eat but in silence now.

“I still can’t believe you went through all that trouble just for me,” he says. His sudden statement caught you off guard a bit.

“Well, I mean, you know, you did help me after all,” you say.

“Yeah, but it makes me wonder…” he trails off like he did before.

“Why is that?” you ask.

“Would you do that for everyone?” he asks you straight out. “Or am I…special?”

Before you can even answer, he goes back to the sushi.

“Ah! What am I saying? Of course, you would that for everyone. That’s what makes you so kind,” he says and nervously laughs again. You grab his hand.

“I…I wouldn’t do that for just anyone,” you say, and his jaw unhinges and drops. “So, you…you are special to me.” You look away from him. His surprise fades to warmth.

“That makes me so happy,” he says. You look back at him now. “I figured you didn’t even like me, but I guess I was wrong.”

“It’s okay,” you say. “I think I needed to be more obvious with my feelings.”

“And I needed not to be a wuss and just tell you how I felt,” he says.

“I guess we’re both to blame,” you say.

“I guess so,” he says.

“But I’m glad,” you say, looking down at your intertwined hands. “I’m glad that we were finally able to lay our feelings out.”

“Me too,” he says. “But we should have done it sooner.” You nod, and you both continue eating the sushi but with your other hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Kinoshita's chapter! Next is Kageyama!!


	8. Tobio Kageyama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kageyama is pretty obvious about his crush on the reader, and the reader likes him too. They just need the timing right on the confession.

Tobio Kageyama is many, many things. However, being a Casanova is not one of them. Kageyama’s crush on you was no secret to anyone on the Karasuno team, even you know about it. His expressions and nervousness are the biggest giveaway. You aren’t complaining, though.

It’s been practically the whole school year, though, and he hasn’t said anything to you yet. You’d think he’d want to tell you bluntly like he would with anyone, but he just didn’t. And you certainly weren’t going to say anything; you are way too shy for something like that.

“Maybe he’s just nervous?” Yachi suggests.

“Yeah, that’s a possibility, but he doesn’t seem to get nervous,” Mai says. All the managers are sitting together eating their lunches like any other day.

“Yeah,” Yukie butts in. “He’s an ‘I’m gonna speak my mind whether you like it or not’ kind of guy.” Everyone nods. He’s never afraid to bash Tsukishima or Hinata, so why was he so scared of telling you his feelings.

“You know, instead of us trying to dissect his reasoning, why don’t you just tell him yourself, Y/N?” Hana says. Everyone looks at her and laughs.

“Yeah, like I could do that,” you say while laughing. She looks at everyone, confused.

“Yeah, cause it’s such a foreigner concept that you would confess rather than him,” Hana says.

“Yeah, exactly. See? You understand me, Hana,” you say. Hana just playfully rolls her eyes at you.

“Uh-huh,” she says.

“Anyway, if he hasn’t said anything, he might never,” Mai says.

“Yeah, I think you should really consider that Y/N,” Kiyoko says, focusing on her lunch rather than the conversation.

“I know, I know. You guys are all saying things I 100% have thought about already,” you admit and look down at your own food. “I’m just scared, that’s all.”

“Well, maybe you should be the one to say something,” Yukie butts in again. Everyone looks at her. “I mean, you are his senpai.” You blush at that. You’ve never really felt like his senpai; he never addressed you as such, so you didn’t feel like one.

“That is true,” Hana says, and all the girls nod.

“Well, maybe I should say something,” you say.

“You will?!?” Yukie and Kaori both shout.

“She will finally do something, thank god,” Hana whispers to Runa.

“Thank you for your support, everyone,” you say.

“Of course,” Yachi says with a big sweet smile while the other girls giggle.

After lunch, everyone has the afternoon free for today. Everyone needs the short break, and you sure are thankful for it. You were planning to stay cooped up in the classroom, but Yachi wanted you to come with her to go to the library with her. You weren’t opposed to that, you could just bring your laptop with headphones and just carry everything in your backpack. And she didn’t want to travel all by herself.

The library is all the way across Aoba Johsai’s campus. You know their campus is reasonably big, but nothing prepared you for how big it really is when you have to travel all over the campus rather than just the gym.

“So, are you planning to study and get some schoolwork done?” you ask Yachi as you walk together. She’s covered in a giant scarf and jacket even though it was relatively warm out.

“Yeah, I still need to do my English work,” she says while holding up her English notebook.

“I should probably do my work too, but…” you trail off. “I just don’t really feel like doing it.” She laughs.

“That’s understandable,” she says. You chuckle at that.

“Yeah, well, I’m excited to do all my schoolwork the day before it’s due,” you say, laughing.

“But you somehow get it done,” she points out.

“Yeah, but it’s pretty half-assed,” you say.

“That’s probably not true,” she says, trying to cheer you up.

“Nah, it’s fine. I’m very self-aware when it comes to my procrastination,” you say.

“I guess that’s good?” she says, confused.

“Maybe?” you say, also confused.

“Oh! Just the person I needed to talk to,” a voice shouts from behind you both. You both look at each other and then turn around to see…Hinata and…Kageyama a little ways behind you on the path.

“H-Hinata?” Yachi squeaks.

“Hey, Yachi! Hey, Y/N!” he says and bolts towards you both while dragging Kageyama.

“Hey, Hinata,” you greet him when he reaches you. “And, hey, Kageyama.” You turn to him, and he looks away all red. He really does look so adorable when he’s flustered.

“Hey, Y/N,” he says, still looking away from you.

“Hey, guys! Hey, Yachi,” Hinata says, turning to her. “Do you mind if you help me out with my English work?” Hinata clasps his palms together to get the begging across.

“Oh, uh…” she turns to you. You nod at her to indicate your answer. “Sure, Hinata. We were on our way to the library; we can study there if you want?”

“Yeah, that sounds great, Kageyama. Do you want to come too?” Hinata asks Kageyama, who is still looking off the side somewhere with his face looking like a tomato.

“N-no, I’m good,” Kageyama says.

“Really? But you suck at English,” Hinata says. Kageyama turns to Hinata and grabs him by the collar of his shirt.

“No, I’m not, boke,” Kageyama says. Yachi touches their shoulders delicately.

“G-guys let’s not fight,” she says, but they don’t seem to hear her. You find it a bit amusing, but you know you need to butt in.

“Yeah, come on, guys, what if Daichi or Tanaka caught you guys acting like this?” you say. Kageyama immediately drops Hinata like nothing ever happened. “You just gotta say Daichi or Tanaka’s name, and they’ll freak out,” you whisper to Yachi. She nods.

“Anyway, Yachi, let’s get going with the English stuff. I wanna finish it as soon as possible,” Hinata says.

“O-of course,” Yachi says, and they both go off together, leaving you and Kageyama all alone. The two of you stand there for a while, just looking anywhere except at each other. From the corner of your eye, he seems almost mad or upset, and he wasn’t blushing any more. You never know what he’s thinking. You can’t handle the silence for long, though, so you look at him head-on now.

“Soooooo, what’re you planning to do all afternoon?” you ask, trying to ease the mood just a little. He still doesn’t look at you, though.

“I was gonna practice some volleyball, but it seems like most people either want to do schoolwork or go out,” he grumbles. You give him a sympathetic smile.

“I’m sorry that must be rough,” you say. He nods.

“Yeah, it is,” he says. “I thought everyone takes volleyball seriously.” You look at him, confused.

“Of course, everyone takes it seriously, Kageyama,” you say, and he finally looks at you, surprised. “It’s just that everyone needs breaks once a while, you know?” He grumbles again.

“I guess so,” he says.

“As your manager, I suggest you take today as a rest day, okay?” you say and give him a big smile. He gets red again. “You know, cause us managers take care of you guys.” And that sends him over the edge. His steaming face now very apparent. “Gah! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say all that. Sorry.” You wave your hands in front of yourself.

“No, it’s…it’s fine,” he says quietly. You sigh in relief.

“Oh, okay,” you clutch your chest. “Well, we should find something to do for our rest day, right?”

“Uh…” is all he says.

“Unless you don’t want to,” you say, giving him a more serious face.

“N-no, that’s fine with me,” he says. You go into your thinking pose.

“Hmm, what are you in the mood for?” you ask.

“I don’t know,” he says. Okay, so what now? You think. You remember that you still have your bag with you. You should probably drop it back off with your things.

“Well, do you mind if we go back to the classrooms so I can put my bag in the manager’s room?” you ask, pointing to your backpack.

“Yeah, of course,” he says.

“Thanks, Kageyama,” you say and begin walking down the path with Kageyama beside you. As you walk, you secretly hope that the managers aren’t there. He looks at the ground the whole trip with you glancing at him from time to time. You kind of wish that you could be blunt and just say that you like him. Kageyama, I like you; it seems so hard to say it, you think. Every glance toward the setter, you wonder what he’s thinking about. Probably volleyball. When you really think about it, you really admire his love and passion for the sport. He pours everything he has into it, and I really like that about him, you think.

“Y/N?” Kageyama says, snapping you from your thoughts.

“Uh, yeah?” you respond, praying to whomever that he didn’t catch your glances. “What’s up?”

“Do you think I should have gone to study with Hinata and Yachi?” he asks out of the blue. You weren’t sure how to answer that. Any answer could have a significant effect on his feelings and your future with him.

“Uh, I don’t know, I mean, did you want to?” you ask, and immediately after the words leave your mouth, you curse yourself for your choice.

“Well, I mean, I like studying with them, and Yachi is really helpful, but…” he trails off.

“But?” you try to get him to continue.

“Never mind, it’s not important,” he says. Your face still had concern on it, but you are still questioning what he meant by all that in your mind.

“Are you sure?” you ask, and he just simply nods. After that, the two of you don’t talk until you reach the manager’s classroom. You slide open the door to find some of the managers on the floor with a projector showing a movie. They have bowls of popcorn, and junk food all splayed out on the floor with them. Their cots are all pushed together, so no floor space is seen.

“Y/N? Oh my god, welcome back,” Yukie says and stands to greet you. You and Kageyama stand there dumbfounded. “Oh! And you brought a guest with you too,” she says to Kageyama. He gets red.

“Uh… what’re you guys doing?” you ask. She grabs you and Kageyama’s hands and leads you inside.

“We are watching a movie together,” she says. You look around.

“I see…what movie?” you ask, looking up at the projected movie. She follows your gaze before answering.

“We are watching Titanic; do you know it?” she asks. You shrug.

“Eh, kinda. I’ve never seen it all the way through,” you say honestly. You just never really got around to finishing it. You know what happens, because it was a whole historical event. Yukie turns to Kageyama now.

“Have you seen it, Kageyama?” she asks. He shakes his head. “Well, you guys should watch it.” You guys both look confused.

“We’re just here to drop off my bag,” you say, slipping your backpack off.

“Oh, and then what?’ she asks, then she gasps loudly. “Are you guys going out on a date or something?” You both stop working, both mentally and physically. It Yukie a second to get you back to earth again.

“Uh, we were just…just gonna do something this afternoon, right?” you turn to him.

“R-right, since we all have the afternoon off,” he says. Yukie narrows her eyes at you both.

“Riiiiiiight,” she says. You cringe knowing she absolutely does not believe a single word.

“Whatever, I guess, do your thing then,” she says and shoos you both off. You thank every god ever as you both back away. “Oh! I almost forgot! Kageyama have her back by 6. Kay?” Her smile is blinding. He becomes incredibly flustered.

“O-of course,” he simply says.

“Good, I mean, I do trust you,” she says and winks at him, and he short circuits.

“Okay, thank you, Yukie. Let’s go, Kageyama,” you say and give Yukie a look before turning to the door. Kageyama swiftly follows you out the door. You even hear Yukie’s last thought.

“They grow up so fast,” she says when you slide the door closed. You sigh, thankful you’re out of that mess.

“What do you wanna do now?” Kageyama asks. You stand at the door thinking. What should we do?

“Hmm, we could go out for a walk in the town,” you say and look at him. His expression is tough to read, given it’s pretty much blank. “O-or not?” He snaps out of his expressionless face.

“Oh, no, that sounds like a good idea,” he says. You nod, and you both walk out of the building back outside. Once outside, you both walk to the gate and out to the town.

“So, are you excited about going to the Youth Training Camp after this?” you ask, trying to make conversation so it’s not an awkward silence.

“Yeah, I am. I’ll able to play with other great players,” he says.

“Yeah, I hear that Atsumu on Inarizaki’s team is going too,” you say.

“Oh, yeah, him” he grumbles again. Oh, crap, I upset him, you think. “He’s a setter like me.”

“Oh, yeah, he was setting for the spikers. We haven’t played them here yet, so that’s all I know about him,” you say. He nods and hums in response. “Anyway, I’m excited that we’re going to Nationals.” You see that he’s smiling a little.

“Yeah, me too, I’m grateful for that and for the team,” he says. You giggle.

“I think it’s because of you and the other first years,” you say. “I mean, your setting is amazing, being able to pinpoint an exact toss to the spiker.” He stops walking. When you notice, you stop too and turn to him.

“You really think my sets are amazing?” he asks with his eyes sparkling a bit. His face is similar to how he looked when there was a barbeque at the Tokyo training camp.

“Uh, well, yeah. Everyone does,” you say, trying to brush off your embarrassment. He looks sad now. Crap, I blew it again, you think.

“Oh, right,” he says and starts walking again. You don’t follow him at first. You feel bad now, but you follow him anyway.

The next few minutes are awkward. You both look down at the ground without saying anything. But as luck is mysterious, you see a vending machine up ahead. You always see Kageyama hanging around the one at school, so why not go to this one.

“Do you wanna get something from the vending machine?” you ask, pointing to it. The machine only being about 20 steps away.

“Sure,” he says. You both go to it, and you decide that you’ll just get some juice.

“What’re you gonna get?” you ask him.

“I’ll just get the milk,” he says and presses the button for the milk. Milk?

“Because it’s the cheapest?” you ask while giggling. He gets flustered.

“W-well, yeah, but it’s also cause I like it,” he says and picks it up from the drink flap. You giggle some more.

“That’s so cute,” you say without thinking. Once you realize what you’ve said, you become a blushing mess like him. You press the button for your drink and pick it up from the flap. You both decide to sit on the curb next to the vending machine drinking your beverages. Again, Kageyama hits you with a tough question out of the blue.

“Are you nervous about Nationals?” he asks and sips from his straw, waiting for your answer.

“Well, I’m not the one playing so—” you say, but he cuts you off.

“I know. I just mean, are you nervous for us?” he clarifies. You think for a second.

“I guess I am. There are so many teams you guys will be playing. It’s terrifying, I’m sure. I know I couldn’t do it,” you say and sip your juice.

“Can I be honest with you?” he says. You look at him; his face is very serious now. It kind of startled you.

“Of course,” you reply. He sighs heavily before continuing.

“I’m scared about Nationals, even though I know I won’t be when we actually play,” he says. “I’m just nervous now.”

“I’m so sorry,” you say. He chuckles.

“It’s not your fault,” he says.

“I might have a solution for you,” you say, trying to be cheery to help him.

“You do? It’s not meditation, is it? Like what Hinata does,” he says, scowling at the mention of the spikey haired middle blocker.

“No, no. It’s called procrastination,” you say. He looks at you like you have four heads.

“Huh?” he says.

“You just procrastinate your fear by not thinking about it and distracting yourself from it up until you play,” you say. He thinks for a minute, considering.

“That doesn’t sound too bad, but how do I distract myself from it?” he asks.

“Oh, I didn’t think about that part,” you say and look down at the ground, trying to think of a way. But you figure out how. “I think I know,” you perk up.

“What?” he asks, startled from your sudden change.

“Kageyama, I know that you like me,” you say with a smile.

“H-huh?” is all he says.

“But don’t worry cause I like you too,” you say. Oh, man, I actually said it. And it wasn’t so bad, you think.

“Y-you do?” he asks. You nod, still smiling. His face is so red it looks like he took a trip to the sun.

“Yeah, I do. I have for a while now. I just assumed you would tell me your feelings, but since you haven’t, I guess I had to,” you say, laughing to hide your embarrassment and racing heart.

“Oh. I just assumed you thought of me as a friend,” he says.

“Well, you assumed wrong,” you say jokingly.

“Uh, yeah, I guess I did,” he says. “Well, thank you.” You look at him, confused.

“Thank you?” you ask.

“Yeah, thank you,” he says with a handsome smile. You melt at the sight of it.

“Well, thank you too,” you say. Now he’s the confused one. “Thank you for liking me.”

“Well, I was glad to,” he says. You both laugh and continue drinking your beverages.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Kageyama's chapter!! Next is Hinata!!


	9. Shouyou Hinata

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader helps Hinata practice and finds out why Hinata calls her by her first name.

Hinata has an honorific for everyone, whether it be “senpai” or “san.” The point is everyone has one, except you. Instead of calling you by your last name, he calls you by your first name. You do like it when he calls you by your first name, but he calls everyone else by their last names. And to top it all off, he never calls you “san” or “chan.” Just your name.

You try to ask him about it, but he always brushes it off by changing the subject to something else, which is a bit out of character for him, but after a while, you decide he isn’t going to tell you, so there’s no point in asking.

After starting the training camp, people first assumed that you and Hinata were dating. Only because he calls you by your first name. You believed it was a bit of a stretch for them to assume such a thing considering it’s just a name.

“So, you really aren’t dating the carrot-haired short middle blocker on your team?” Yukie asks you again for the 100th time.

“No, we are not dating. He just calls me by my first name,” you say for the 100th time. You and she are walking to dinner after a long day of matches.

“Well, usually when people call each other by their first names, it means there’s a closeness between them,” she says, giving you a suggestive look. You blush and look towards the ground.

“I-it’s not like that. I’m sure it’s a different reason,” you say.

“Sure, it is,” she says, unconvinced. You give her a look, but she pretends to ignore it. “I’m curious.”

“Huh?” you shift your head to the side a bit.

“What would you say if he DID ask you out?” she asks, giving you a mischievous smile. Your face grows even redder.

“W-What?!?” you shout. You cover your face with your palms, hiding. Yukie bursts out laughing.

“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to freak you out,” she says and pats your shoulder. You remove your hands from your face and sigh. What would I say if he asked me out? Would I reject him? Or maybe? Your thoughts keep rushing through your mind. “Hey, Y/N? Are you still with me, or did you die?” Yukie waves her hand in front of you. You jump back, and she laughs again. You both get to the dining hall and wait in line for dinner. You look around the room and see the tables starting to fill with people.

“After dinner, everyone’s supposed to go straight to their rooms, right?” you ask, turning back to Yukie. She nods before continuing.

“Yeah, because tomorrow’s supposed to be really tough, so the coaches want everyone to get some rest tonight,” she says.

“Honestly, I could use a night in,” you admit. It has been a tough week at the training camp. It also didn’t help that it’s pretty cold outside as well.

“Yeah, no kidding,” Yukie says. “I’m excited to just chill for the night.”

“Me too,” you say. “It’ll be like a sleepover for all the managers.” She gasps and begins to jump a bit.

“Oh my god, you’re right. Now I’m even more excited,” she says, still jumping up and down. You laugh. You managers always go to bed early because of the early mornings and also because you’re just tired from the day.

Eventually, you and Yukie get your dinners and sit down with the other managers.

“Oh my god, you guys,” Yukie says, plopping down beside Mai and Hana. “Guess what me and Y/N were thinking?” All the managers look at one another then look back at Yukie.

“What?” Hana asks.

“Well, we thought that since we have some free time tonight,” she looks over at you, and you nod for her to continue. “We could have a kinda sleepover thing.” Everyone’s confused again.

“It’s basically a sleepover every day for us anyway,” Hana says.

“Well, you’d think, but we’re always so busy that we can’t really DO sleepover things,” Yukie says, and you nod.

“What were guys planning for us then?” Mai asks.

“Well, we haven’t thought that far ahead,” you say and shrug.

So, you all spend the remainder of dinner planning your evening. Mai suggests that you all should watch a movie of some kind, and everyone agrees. You suggest playing video games or board games that you can find, luckily you brought your Switch with you, so you had something to use. Hana even suggests by the end of the night that they tell ghost stories. Poor Yachi and Runa agree to it even though you can tell they’re dreading it. Of course, Yukie suggests they talk about the boys because, according to her, that’s a vital part of a sleepover, which is talking about people you like and find attractive. Oh, great, you think. Still, you guys are excited.

Everyone finishes their dinner quickly so they can get a jump start on the activities. Everyone walks out of the dining hall in absolute glee and playfully arguing about what they should do first. As you’re walking, you notice that one of the gyms still has its lights on. That’s odd, you think. Maybe someone just forgot to turn off the lights. You figure you’ll just run in and turn the light off. You turn to the girls first, though.

“Hey, guys, you go on ahead. I gotta go fix something,” you say and take off towards the gym. You leave them pretty dumbfounded.

“Fix?” Kaori says.

You run in and notice some volleyballs littering the floor. You walk up to one of the balls near the door with your back to the rest of the gym. You are about to start to pick up the ball when someone says your name from a bit far behind you.

“Y/N? What’re you doin’ here?” the voice says. Wait, a second, there isn’t an honorific, and they called you by your first name. You know who it is.

“H-Hinata?” you say while turning around.

“Hey,” he says with a big smile. “Did I scare you?”

“No, I just didn’t know there was anyone here,” you say. He walks towards you before speaking again.

“Yeah, I wanted to get some practice in,” he says. You tilt your head to the side.

“Practice? I thought we have a night in tonight,” you say. He nods his head and picks up a volleyball near your feet.

“We do. I just wanted to work on my receives cause stupid Kageyama says they’re still crap,” he says and pursues his lips at the mention of the setter. You laugh a bit.

“I’m sure you’re fine. Besides, it’s good to take a break too,” you say. He looks down at the volleyball before looking back at you and then looks back down again.

“I know, but I need to get better cause we’re going to Nationals. I don’t wanna bring the team down with my bad playing,” he says. You see his bubbliness leave him a bit.

“Hinata,” you say, and he looks at you. You look at him very seriously now. “Even if you’re not super confident, everyone else is here to back you up.” He still looks sad, though.

“Yeah, I know that,” he says.

“Hinata, you’re outstanding player. You’re part of the reason we’re going to nationals,” you say. Hinata’s jaw hits the floor. His surprise makes you feel incredibly flustered.

“You mean it?” he asks. You just nod in response with your red face. “Thanks, Y/N. Coming from you, it’s a huge compliment.” You look at him, confused again.

“It is?” you ask. “What do you mean by tha—”

“Say, since you’re here do you wanna help me with my receives?” he asks all bubbly. You would love to help him, but you had to get back to the other managers. They might worry about you. “You don’t have to do it for very long, just for 15 minutes, I promise.” You figure you can spare 15 minutes.

“I guess I can spare 15 minutes to help you practice,” you say, and he jumps up in glee.

“Yes!!” he says, but he stops abruptly. “I have an idea since you’re helping me; every receive I do; you can ask me anything you want.” This does sound interesting and fun.

“Really? Are you sure?” you ask.

“Sure,” he says. “I don’t mind at all.”

You wait for him to be ready and toss the ball his way. He receives it pretty easily, so easy that you’re able to catch it.

“You can throw it up a bit harder. I’m sure I’ll be able to get it,” Hinata says.

“Oh! Right. I’m sorry,” you say. He chuckles a bit.

“There’s no need to be sorry,” he says. You are about to throw the ball back up again, but he stops you. “What’s your question for me? Remember?”

“Oh! Right,” you say and try to think of something to ask him. “Hmmm, if you could have any superpower, what would it be?” Hinata seems surprised by this question but thinks for a second.

“I think I want to be able to stretch so I can spike the ball at any height and block every ball that comes my way,” he says with his eyes sparkling. You giggle. I had a feeling it would be something like that, you think.

“That does sound cool,” you say, and he nods at top speed and gets ready for the next throw. You toss the ball up again, but this time you put more force into it. He receives it flawlessly, and the ball lands into your hands again. You ask him what his favorite show is, and he says he loves Dragon Ball and One Piece. This continues on for well over 15 minutes.

Eventually, you hear your name being called by the other managers outside. They’re looking for you, and they sound pretty worried. Hinata hears it too.

“Sounds like you need to go,” Hinata says.

“Yeah, I’m sorry,” you say.

“Huh? It’s my fault! I’m the one who kept you,” he says.

“Well, thanks, I had fun. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” you say, and you almost turn before Hinata speaks again.

“Wait!” he shouts, and you stop in your tracks. “Toss for me one more time.” You’re confused by this, but you comply anyway. You toss it up in the air again and send the ball to him. He misses the receive for the first time that night.

“Oops, sorry, that was my bad,” you say. He runs to the ball and picks it up.

“No, it was all me,” he says with his back turned to you. He turns back to face you now, and he looks more serious. “I guess you still have one more question.”

“Are you sure? We don’t have to do that now,” you say. He looks down at the volleyball in his hands.

“Just one more,” he says almost quietly. This sudden change surprises you.

“Okay, but you don’t have to answer me if you don’t want to,” you begin. “I’ve been wondering for a while. How come you call me by my first name and don’t any honorific with it either?” You could tell that your face is red by how warm you feel. You didn’t care, though; you’ve wanted an answer for a long time now. He doesn’t answer you at first. So, you thought he wasn’t going to give you an answer.

“Because…” he starts, and it surprises you that he actually might say it. “Because you’re…you’re…special to me.” His face becomes almost a similar color to his hair. Your face matches his.

Before you can say anything, Hana rushes inside the gym.

“Huh? Y/N? There you are. Everyone is worried sick,” she says. “We thought you weren’t gonna be gone for very long, but…” she notices the atmosphere and stops. You collect yourself a bit before answering her.

“I’m sorry for worrying you,” you say.

“I’m just glad that you aren’t dead or something,” she says and grabs your hand.

“Wait, I need to do something,” you say. She gives you a look.

“What is it this time?” she asks.

“It won’t take long, I promise,” you say.

“Okay,” she says. You hurry back to Hinata.

“Hey, let’s do this again sometime,” you say with a small smile. “And next time, you can ask me the questions, and I’ll tell you what you mean to me.” Your blush returns to your face, but you don’t feel flustered; you feel oddly calm. His face and redness say otherwise, though.

“O-okay,” he says.

“Don’t worry, I think you’ll like the answer I have for you,” you say and go back to Hana. She gives you a confused and concerned look. When you exit the gym, she finally asks you what happened.

“What’d you say to him that made him react like that?” she asks.

“Oh, uh, nothing really,” you say, and she eyes you down.

“Uh-huh. Yeah, sure,” she says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Hinata's chapter!! Next is Tsukishima!!


	10. Kei Tsukishima

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader has tried so much to befriend Tsukishima. However, it turns out that he liked her all along.

You have been trying to befriend Tsukishima all year. He never seemed to budge, though, and instead would give you sass anytime you tried to talk to him. Eventually, you’d had enough of all it. You did try, but you were very unsuccessful. However, a part of you still wanted to be close to him. He’s such a mysterious guy, and you wanted to know more about him, even if it’s just a little.

You’d befriended Yamaguchi to try to help with your mission to befriend Tsukishima. You would even say Yamaguchi is your best friend on the team. He loves telling you all about Tsukishima. So, whether Tsukishima likes it or not, you know a lot about him already.

“Did you know that his favorite food is strawberry shortcake?” Yamaguchi says while you walk with him to the gym. Everyone had just finished their lunches and were going to be playing in some matches.

“Is it? I don’t think I’ve ever had strawberry shortcake,” you say, thinking about the dessert. Yamaguchi gasps.

“Really? They’re super good. Tsukki’s the one who convinced me to eat some, and after I ate some myself, I knew it was true,” Yamaguchi says, pointing to the sky in his matter-of-fact way.

“I’ll have to try one sometime,” you say.

“Yeah, there’s an excellent café that sells them near our school. I can take you there, and I’ll make sure to bring Tsukki too,” he says, giving you a big smile.

“You think he’ll want to come?” you ask.

“Yeah, he’d love to go,” Yamaguchi says.

“Oh, I’m guessing you won’t tell him I’d be going,” you say. Yamaguchi looks at you, confused.

“No, he’d know,” Yamaguchi says. At this point, you guys reach the gym and are taking off your outdoor shoes and putting on your gym shoes.

“He would?” you ask. Yamaguchi nods his head.

“Yeah, that would be like the whole reason he’d—” Yamaguchi gets cut off by someone shouting his name. Hinata runs over to the two of you, so you assume he was the one shouting.

“Yamaguchi, hurry, okay? We gotta go up against Shiratorizawa today,” Hinata says. Yamaguchi gives you a nervous look before turning to Hinata.

“Okay,” Yamaguchi says and shuffles into his gym shoes; you follow quickly after. You catch him right before the practice starts.

“Hey. Yamaguchi, what were you about to say before your name was called?” you ask, pulling on his shirt sleeve. Yamaguchi suddenly gets really pink in the face and looks at the floor.

“Uh, nothing. We’ll…uh…talk about it later,” he says before running off to the other players. You just stand there trying to figure out what just happened.

The boys do their stretches and their warm-up while you help Kiyoko and Yachi with the manager stuff.

“I heard from Hinata that Shiratorizawa is much tougher this time around,” Yachi says, helping you set up chairs for the coaches.

“Really?” you say.

“Yeah, I guess ever since we beat them, they’ve been training pretty much non-stop,” Yachi says. You both look at each other nervously. Oh, dear, you think.

After the warm-up, the team finishes up and begins getting ready for the game. Shiratorizawa approaches the courts themselves, but they don’t warm up. According to Kiyoko, they warmed up in another gym of theirs. So, instead, everyone waits for the coaches, who are chatting about the game.

“So, Mr. Vanilla, I can’t wait to see your ‘blocks,’” Tendou says to Tsukishima and uses air quotes. Tsukishima looks at him dead in the eyes with his straight face.

“I can’t wait to see you screw up yours,” Tsukishima says and walks off, leaving Tendou buggy-eyed with his jaw on the floor. Man, Tsukishima has a comeback for everything, you think. I wish I could be able to do that.

After a few minutes more, the practice match finally begins, with you on a bench with the coaches and other managers and Tsukishima waiting with the other players. He, Hinata, and Nishinoya all switch positions, but Hinata is always in the starting line-up. You look at Tsukishima, and he doesn’t seem to care one way or another.

When Tsukishima is subbed in, he ignores Tendou’s mocking words. Though at one point, you see Tsukishima give Tendou his signature condescending smirk. You and Tendou are surprised by it. That smirk meant something different for you than it did for Tendou.

You see the serve go up, and Nishinoya receives it, and it is sent to Kageyama. Kageyama sets it for Tanaka, who spikes, but it gets blocked by Tendou. So, Daichi saves the ball just in time, and it goes to Shirabu. He sets it for Ushijima and you, and the others are on edge when Ushijima hits the ball. However, there’s a pair of hands that block the spike and send the ball on the ground on Shiratorizawa’s side. It’s the blond bean pole, Tsukishima. When Ushijima and Tsukishima land on the floor again, they death stare at one another before Tsukishima is tackled by his teammates cheers.

“Wow, that was such a great block, Tsukishima,” Coach shouts in absolute glee while Takeda is giving his metaphorical words of encouragement. Tsukishima still acts unbothered by the cheers. He eventually catches your gaze, but you blush and look away from him. You turn back to Yachi and Kiyoko.

“That was such a good block,” you say to them. They both nod.

“That’s a kill block, right? Because he shut the spike out?” Yachi asks, consulting Kiyoko’s notes. You and Kiyoko giggle before nodding.

“You’re learning quickly, kiddo,” you say and pat Yachi’s shoulder. “Way faster than me, that’s for sure.”

“I remember back when you thought for four months that the libero is supposed to serve but choose not to,” Kiyoko says while laughing.

“Hey, it’s an honest mistake,” you say, trying to defend yourself. They both laugh, and you can’t help but laugh too.

When you turn back to the game, Tsukishima switches positions with Nishinoya and is back on the bench. You see him talking to Yamaguchi, and they’re both looking your way. So, you wave at them on instinct. Tsukishima ignores you while Yamaguchi waves back. Unlike Tanaka, Nishinoya, and Yamamoto, you didn’t like being ignored.

The game goes on, and every time Tsukishima goes in for the game, he plays with more enthusiasm. His blocks and spikes are all on point. It surprises you. Every time the team cheers for him, he always manages to catch you staring at him. Every single time.

Something motivates him actually to try his best, but you have no idea what it could be. All you can really do is wonder.

After winning the game, everyone takes a short break before the next match. So, you grab two water bottles and walk over to the team.

“Wow, Tsukishima, your blocks were looking really good this time,” you say, handing him a water bottle and handing the other to Yamaguchi. He gives you a click of his tongue.

“Yeah! Tsukki, you were amazing,” Yamaguchi says, trying to hype him up. Tsukishima just drinks his water bottle while you guys still try to compliment him. Eventually, you stop trying to say anything to him.

“Yamaguchi, do you think you’ll do the jump float serve?” you turn to Yamaguchi instead. He shrugs.

“It really depends on how Coach feels,” he says. “But I want to.” He starts to get excited.

“I’ll make sure to put in a good word for you then,” you say. Yamaguchi gives you a big smile and thanks you.

“I can’t wait for the game to be over, honestly,” Tsukishima says. You and Yamaguchi look at him, but his face is still expressionless.

“What?!? How can you say that, Tsukki? Aren’t you having fun? Your blocks are so good today,” Yamaguchi says. “You must be having a little fun, right? Or is it because—” Yamaguchi stops himself when he realizes what he’s going to say.

“Because what?” you ask, looking between the two.

“Nothing, Yamaguchi is just confused,” Tsukishima says to Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi’s teeth begin chattering, and you can see his sweat.

“Uh, yeah. I’m sorry, Tsukki,” Yamaguchi says and gives you his water bottle. Yamaguchi can’t take the stress and goes off to talk to Hinata and Yachi. Why is no one telling me anything? You think to yourself. You look back to Tsukishima, who is actually staring at you. You notice and blush, but he just turns around and walks away from you.

“Everything alright?” Kiyoko asks while coming up next to you. You turn to see her concern.

“Y-yeah, everything’s fine,” you say. She pats your shoulder while giving you a small smile. You guys go back to the bench and wait for the next game. “Who’s our next opponent?”

“Inarizaki,” she says, consulting her notes.

“Oh, I heard from Mai that they’re tough,” you say. She nods.

“I heard that too,” Kiyoko says.

Just then, the boys from Inarizaki walk into the gym. They’re tall and scary. The game starts, and their setter, Atsumu, has the first killer serve. Daichi receives the serve and sends it back over. The ball is set to their ace, Ojiro, who gets past Asahi and Tsukishima. As soon as the ball hits the ground and Tsukishima’s feet hit the floor, for a split-second, Tsukishima’s face drops into a scowl. He seems really pissed off, but only for that second.

The game continues on, and you notice that Inarizaki’s middle blocker is trying to bait Tsukishima. You can tell that it’s a battle of the deadpan boys. You find it a bit amusing, but their rivalry is much more intense for Tsukishima and Suna. Just to annoy Suna, Tsukishima feints his spike causing Suna to give Tsukishima a bit of a reaction. Even though there were probably far more exciting plays happening, you only watch Tsukishima. His typical not-care attitude is completely changed. He’s giving this his all.

The match ends with a win for Karasuno, but just barely. After the game, everyone gets ready for dinner and heads to the dining hall. You, Yachi, Kiyoko all walk together.

“So, how’s trying to befriend Tsukishima going?” Yachi asks. You start to slump.

“Not good. I’m starting to think he hates me or something,” you say.

“I’m sure it’s not like that,” Yachi says, patting your shoulder.

“Yeah, no, I think it is,” you say. You guys get your dinners and sit with the other managers discussing your day. You talk about the crazy matches with Shiratorizawa and Inarizaki. You even gush about Tsukishima’s skills.

“You sure talk your tall guy a lot,” Hana says.

“Yeah, it’s almost as if you like him,” Kaori says, and everyone gives you a suggestive look. Your face becomes as red as a tomato.

“N-no, he’s just a really good player, that’s all,” you say.

“Yeah, sure, we totally believe you,” Yukie says, and you give her a look.

After dinner, you wanted some quiet time to yourself, so you bundle up for the cold and grab your phone and earphones. You told everyone you were going out, and you figure you’ll walk around Seijoh’s big campus and then return. You turn on your playlist and put your earphones in. You start walking down the path, passing by the gyms. Streetlights light the whole path so you wouldn’t get lost. At the front of the library, there’s a bench, and someone’s sitting on it. You squint your eyes and see its blond hair with white headphones. It’s Tsukishima! Would it okay if I approach him? Should I just pass him and ignore him? He wouldn’t talk to me, anyway, you think. However, your thoughts distract you so much that you walk right in front of him. You look at him, and he seems super annoyed at you.

“Uh, sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you,” you say about to leave. He takes off his headphones.

“What did you say?” he asks. Crap, he didn’t even hear me, so that I could’ve just walked past him, you think.

“I-I was saying sorry for disturbing you, but now I see that I just did by having you take off your headphones to hear me, so I obviously didn’t think it through enough. I’m really sorry for bothering you,” you ramble.

“You weren’t bothering me,” he says. You heavily sigh. Before you know it, you’re sitting next to him on the bench, trying to calm your nerves. “What’re you doing?”

“S-sorry, I just kinda sat down without thinking,” you say. You take off your own earphones.

“Right,” he says, unconvinced. He grabs one of your earphones. “What’re you listening to?”

“Oh, just my playlist,” you say, and grab your phone and show him your playlist. He puts one earphone in and laughs.

“This is the kinda music you like?” he asks, giving you his devilish smirk. You become red like Nekoma’s jerseys.

“Y-yeah, I-I like it,” you say.

“Okay, well, I guess you may have some decent music if I listen long enough,” he says. You narrow your eyes at him while still all red. He laughs again and then hands his headphones to you. This time he’s giving you his deadpan stare. “You can listen to mine if you want.” You stare at him for a minute before taking the headphones. You put them on and listen to his playlist. The playlist is soft and not like him at all. You lay your head on the back of the bench and close your eyes. You see nothing but the back of your eyelids and fall asleep.

You wake up sometime later and notice the path in front of you. You try to remember where you were and see a jacket draped over your body. The coat has a crescent moon on the hood. You didn’t own any kind of jacket like that. Then you hear soft music playing directly into your ears. It’s not your music, though, nor is it your earphones producing the noise. The music is only heard in your right ear and not your left, so you hear the sounds of the night in one ear. The headphones slipped off a bit because you are resting your head on something. You shift a bit and see Tsukishima’s hands resting on his lap. You know it’s him because he’s holding his dark glasses in his hands. You’re sitting on a bench with Tsukishima, listening to his music through his headphones while also resting your head on his shoulder.

“You know, it’s funny,” he suddenly says. You almost jump from the sound of his voice. “I would never tell you this, but…the reason I try so hard in volleyball is…because you’re there.” Your eyes are now super wide. Luckily, he doesn’t see that you’re awake. “Yamaguchi almost told you everything. He’s been telling me that I should talk to you about how I feel.” He chuckles after saying it. You couldn’t believe what you are hearing. Since when did Tsukishima feel this way, and why isn’t he honest with you. Well, technically, he IS being honest with you, but you want to hear it when he knows you’re awake.

“Tsukki?” you say. You can feel him tense up as you sit up to look at him. He looks at you and takes out your earphones. You put his headphones on your neck. “Um, is that all true?” His eyes are wide, and his jaw is wide open. He awkwardly puts his glasses back on and returns to his Tsukishima self. You grab at his arm that’s closest to you. “Is it?” He looks away from you.

“What if it is?” he says.

“Why didn’t you just tell me from the beginning?” you ask, trying to understand. He sighs before turning back to you.

“I thought you were too good for me,” he says quietly. You say nothing for a second because of shock.

“Y-you think that I'm too good for you?” you say.

“Yeah, yeah, I do,” he says simply.

“Are you kidding? I always thought you were too cool for me,” you admit. “I’ve always admired you, and I wanted to be your friend because I thought you were so amazing.” He turns to face you now.

“I’m sorry I acted so coldly towards you,” he says and starts fidgeting with his fingers.

“Why did you?” you ask.

“I was jealous,” he says.

“Jealous?” you ask, confused.

“You and Yamaguchi are so close, so I was jealous,” he says. You couldn’t but giggle. “W-what’s so funny?” he asks, narrowing his eyes at you a bit.

“I’m sorry. It’s just that I kinda became Yamaguchi’s friend to get close to you,” you admit. He looks super surprised again.

“You did it because of me?” he asks.

“Yeah, I did,” you say and feel your cheeks get warm. He gives you a handsome smile. It’s sincere and sweet.

“Thank you,” he says. “Thank you for putting in so much effort for me.”

“Of course,” you say.

“I’m going to return the favor,” he says. You look at him, confused.

“Return the favor?” you ask. He gives you a deadpan look again.

“Yes, Y/N. I mean, I am gonna put in the effort to get to know you better,” he says. You gasp in delight and pull him into a hug. At first, he is surprised but hugs you back. He gives you the best hug you’ve ever received. You honestly didn’t think he had it in him. You pull away after a bit before talking.

“I’m free tomorrow if you wanna skip lunch or something,” you say.

“Sounds good to me, I guess,” he says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Tsukishima's chapter!! Next is Yamaguchi!!


	11. Tadashi Yamaguchi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You like Yamaguchi, and he likes you back. However, he thinks you like Tsukishima, while you think he likes Yachi. Hopefully, you guys can figure it out.

Yamaguchi assumed the reason you’re so close to him, and Tsukki is that you have a thing for Tsukki. He wouldn’t blame you. Most girls feel that way. He’s always the third wheel. His jealousy is silent and wavering, but he would never, ever confront you about anything. He is way too shy to approach you about his feelings. There’s no point in doing it anyway.

He just keeps his feelings bottled up. However, that didn’t stop most people from finding out about his little crush on you. Even other teams are aware of it.

“So, you’re not going to say anything?” Kinoshita asks as Asahi sets up his serve. Yamaguchi and Kinoshita both look at you. You’re across the court taking notes about everyone’s serves.

“N-no, I’m not,” Yamaguchi says. Asahi hits his powerful serve, and it’s out.

“How come? She might like you too,” Kinoshita says. Yamaguchi stops looking at you to instead stare at the volleyball in his hands. Kinoshita pats Yamaguchi on the back.

“I…I’m alright,” Yamaguchi says. Asahi looks back to the two of them before grabbing a ball from the bin.

“I mean, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” Asahi says and grabs a ball. Kinoshita goes up to serve next. “I don’t blame you for being too nervous. I’m the same way.”

“Thanks,” Yamaguchi says.

Kiyoko asked you to take notes on the boys who decided to stay to work on serves. She’s helping the winger spikers, and Yachi’s helping Hinata and Kageyama. You don’t mind staying and taking notes; it’s actually a little fun watching Kinoshita, Asahi, and Yamaguchi improve.

Yamaguchi has come so far since his first time doing the jump float serve in the game against Seijoh. You feel proud of him and how he’s improved at the serve. He’s even been a bit more confident in his abilities. That’s the most crucial thing, gaining more confidence.

You can’t help but think about how close he’s getting to Yachi and how close he is with Tsukishima. You hate to admit it, but you were jealous. You can’t pinpoint exactly when you started to have deeper feelings for Yamaguchi, but they’re there, nonetheless. You get back to the notetaking. You see Kinoshita from across the court throwing up the serve and running to it. He hits it, and it’s a great serve. You write down the speed and where it landed. You see that Yamaguchi is about to do his serve, and you can’t help but feel excited.

Yamaguchi, on the other hand, is a nervous wreck. He sees you staring at him, and it makes him tense up completely. He tries to look at the exit sign above the door to calm himself down. He takes a deep breath and throws the ball up, and jumps for it. When he hits the ball, it’s short and hits the net. His face drops as Asahi and Kinoshita breathe in from shock and sympathy. You give Yamaguchi a sympathetic look before writing down the results. He goes back to the short line and gets another ball from the bin.

The serves continue for about 30 minutes longer before you guys are told that dinner is almost done. You tell Asahi and Kinoshita their results about each serve and how they all looked from your perspective. You can tell that Yamaguchi is dreading hearing about his results.

“Hey Yamaguchi,” you say, trying to be upbeat to lessen the tense feeling you are getting from him.

“Hey, Y/N,” he says quietly. You take out your notebook with his serve results.

“So, I compiled your serves from today,” you start, and he looks even worse somehow.

“Oh, really? That’s so nice of you,” he says. You aren’t sure how to react to that. On the one hand, you want to beam at his compliment, but, on the other hand, he looks pretty anxious.

“Thank you,” you say with a small smile. “Pretty much all your jump float serves looked pretty good to me. Though, I wouldn’t really know cause, you know, I’m not an expert or anything. Anyway, you really only had one serve that was…” you didn’t know how to say it.

“Bad?” he says. You give him another sympathetic look.

“Well…I wouldn’t say that. The important thing is that you had a lot of good serves. Pretty much 99% of them were basically perfect,” you say, consulting your notes. He looks towards the ground.

“But I have to be 100% successful if I wanna do well for the team,” he says. This surprises you. Everyone makes mistakes. He shouldn’t beat himself up about it.

“Yamaguchi, nobody’s perfect. I’d say that 99% is amazing itself,” you say, but he still seems sad. You think about how you should comfort him. “Well, just today, I spilled my orange juice all over my clothes and had to change, and that’s why I was late to practice.” Yamaguchi stares blankly at you. Now you’re embarrassed. Yamaguchi starts to chuckle a bit, which calms you.

“Is that why?” he asks while still laughing.

“Yup,” you say. “See? Everyone makes mistakes,” you say matter-of-factly. He laughs a bit more. Yay, I cheered him up, you think.

“I guess you’re right,” he says. “Thanks for cheering me up.” He scratches the back of his neck and blushes.

“Of course,” you say. “But seriously, your jump float serves are looking really, really great.”

“You really think so?” he asks. You beam at him now.

“Absolutely,” you say.

“I-I’m glad to hear it,” he says.

“I bet you’ll be able to do it during a game at Nationals,” you say.

“I hope you’re right,” he says.

“Don’t worry, I bet you will,” you say.

You guys walk together to the dining hall, and when you enter, it’s just you, him, Asahi, and Kinoshita. Everyone must have eaten already. You all get your dinners and sit at one of the tables. Kinoshita and Asahi both get you and Yamaguchi to sit together.

“I guess we stayed pretty late,” Kinoshita says, picking up a vegetable with his chopsticks.

“Yeah, we must’ve lost track of time,” you say, sipping your water.

“Sorry about that. I guess we really wanted to take full advantage of the practice,” Asahi says. Everyone laughs and agrees.

You notice that Asahi and Kinoshita are wolfing down their meals, which you find very out of character for them. You try to pay no mind to it, but it’s pretty distracting. It keeps you from eating your own food. Yamaguchi is the opposite of them, though. He hasn’t really touched his food either. Eventually, Kinoshita and Asahi finish their food and run off with some excuse. Leaving you and Yamaguchi all alone.

“Well, that was kinda weird of them,” he says. You chuckle.

“Yeah, why would they just leave us like that?” you ask.

“Well…I…I mean…I think I may know,” he says and scratches the back of his neck and blushes again.

“Oh, yeah?” you ask. He gets even redder.

“Uh…yeah. But it’s not important,” he says.

“Oh, okay,” you say and turn back to your dinner. 

The two of you eat your dinners in silence, but you wouldn’t say it was awkward at all. It’s more of a comfortable silence. After finishing you, both walk back to the classrooms where you both reside in. Before you both can say your goodnights, Tsukishima says he needs you, and Yachi says she needs Yamaguchi. You can feel a bit of a tang in your heart when Yachi said she needed Yamaguchi. You try to ignore it, but after it appears, it did not leave you alone. You are dragged away by Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi follows Yachi.

“So, what do you need me for Tsukishima?” you ask after you guys reach the infirmary.

“Sorry, but I need you to help me tape my fingers,” he says. Oh, so that’s what the deal is, you think.

“Oh, okay,” you say and go to the cabinet to get the tape. Tsukishima sits on one of the patient chairs. You stand beside him as he puts his hands out for you. You try to chat idly while you tape him up. “So, rough practice with Kuroo, Bokuto, and Akaashi?”

“Eh, kinda, Bokuto was pissed at me for my blocks earlier today, so he decided to try and break my arms during practice basically,” Tsukishima says. Now that you really see his hands, they do look a little banged up.

“Man, I’m sorry, that sucks,” you say.

“I really don’t care,” Tsukishima says. The two of you don’t talk for a bit. You can’t stand the silence one little bit.

“So, what’re Yamaguchi and Yachi doing, do you think?” you ask. You didn’t expect him to answer. You assumed he would just shrug off your question.

“Yachi’s helping him with his English work,” he says. You look away from Tsukishima’s hands.

“Oh, is that what that was?” you ask, kind of relieved. Tsukishima looks at you. His eyebrow raised, and his eyes narrowed.

“Yeah, why does it matter to you?” he asks. Oh, crap, he’s getting suspicious, you think. You blush and look up at the ceiling.

“Oh, uh, nothing. Nothing at all,” you say. He’s clearly not convinced.

“Right, sure it’s nothing,” he says. He gives you a smirk now. “If it’s nothing, then why do you look like a deflated tomato?” You look back at him and hit his shoulder. He doesn’t seem to react to you, though. Instead, he holds his smirk.

“You’re imagining things,” you say. He laughs.

“Man, you two are so clueless; it’s so annoying to watch,” he says.

“Huh?” you say, giving him a blank face.

“Oh, nothing. Never mind,” he says, with his smirk growing.

“What? You won’t tell me?” you ask. He shakes his head.

“Nope, sorry,” he says. “Well…I might tell you, but you’ll have to owe me one.” Damn, Tsukishima, you think.

“Fine,” you say sharply, but you soften. “So, what did you mean by ‘clueless?’”

“Uh-huh. I meant that you’re ‘clueless’ because, well, let’s just say there’s a reason you make him flub his serves sometimes,” he says. You are more confused by this.

“I-I make him flub his serves?” you ask, kind of mortified. “Is it because I might be too critical? Or because I don’t give him enough encouragement? He’d rather someone else watch him?” You continue rambling, and Tsukishima just lets you go on.

“Hey,” he suddenly says, and you stop. “You should just ask him why instead of overthinking it like some looney.” He retracts his taped-up hands from you, seems like you taped his fingers without even noticing, and he gets off the chair. Like some looney?

“Do you think that would work? Would that be okay? Would he be uncomfortable answering that?” you ask frantically. Tsukishima just rolls his eyes and walks to the door.

“Yeah, just do it. It’ll be fine,” he says. “Anyway, I’m heading out. I’ll tell Yamaguchi to come here to speak with you.”

“Really? You will?” you ask. He nods and opens the door, and when he leaves, he slams it behind him. You just wait patiently.

You wait for about ten minutes before you hear a tentative knock on the door. You look to the door before speaking.

“C-come in,” you say. Yamaguchi opens the door and walks into the room.

“Uh, hey, Tsukki said you had something to ask me,” he says. You blush and look down at the floor. You’re doing gymnastics in your brain, trying to figure out how to ask him.

“Uh, yeah, but you don’t have to answer if you’re not comfortable,” you say and look back at Yamaguchi. His face is now nervous and concerned.

“Okay,” he says.

“Well, Tsukishima said that there is a reason that you sometimes get nervous over your serves and that the reason is me,” you say while closing your eyes the more you dribble on. You feel embarrassed and nervous all at the same time. It’s not a good feeling. You look down at the ground before opening your eyes.

“He said that to you?” Yamaguchi asks. You nod, still looking down. You hear Yamaguchi sigh a bit.

“He…He…means that you…how do I explain this?” he says. You look up at him. His face is as red as it can get. He sighs again.

“You don’t have to,” you say, raising your hands and jazzing them in front of your body. “I know me asking is a lot already.”

“Uh-huh,” Yamaguchi says. You both fall into silence again. It’s not so peaceful this time, though. The silence passes for what seems like forever. “So, what did Tsukki want?”

“He just wanted me to tape his fingers,” you say.

“Oh, I see. That’s a relief,” Yamaguchi says, but it seems like he’s saying it more to himself than to you.

“It is?” you ask, kind of hopeful. He gets all red again.

“I-I j-just mean I-I’m glad Tsukki is okay,” Yamaguchi says. Your face drops, and you hum in response.

“Tsukishima told me that you were getting English help from Yachi,” you say.

“Oh, yeah. She offered to tutor me cause I’m not really all that good at English,” he says.

“Yamaguchi,” you say, looking at him pretty seriously. He seems a bit intimidated by it. “You know, I’m not bad at English…I could help you from time to time.” His eyes widen, and his mouth drops open.

“You would help me?” he asks.

“Y-yeah, I would love to,” you say. He gives you a sweet smile.

“Thanks, I’ll be sure to ask you next time,” he says.

“Yeah, I mean, of course, you can still ask Yachi, of course,” you say.

“Huh? But you—” you cut him off.

“It’s okay. I know you want to spend time with her,” you say. “I will respect that, but until you tell her how you feel…I’m hoping it’s okay if we spend time together.”

“Y/N. I don’t know what you mean,” he asks.

“Because, you know, you kinda like Yachi, right?” you ask, a bit panicked. He shakes his head.

“N-no,” he says.

“O-oh. I thought that—” he cuts you off this time.

“Well, I mean, I thought you liked Tsukishima. Is that true?” now he’s the serious one. You blush and fiddle with your fingers.

“N-no,” you say.

“W-well, I’m not really sure how to say this the right way, so I guess I’ll say it the wrong way…” he trails off for a moment before continuing. “You see, I’ve been a little…jealous…of you…and…Tsukki. I know that I should’ve said something, and I apologize for that.”

“Yamaguchi,” you say and walk towards him. “I didn’t know you felt that way. I became friends with Tsukishima because I knew you guys were close. I felt like if I wasn’t his friend…you wouldn’t…”

“Huh? T-that’s not true! I would’ve fallen in love with you even if Tsukki didn’t like you,” Yamaguchi shouts. After what he said hits you both, he looks down to the ground with heated cheeks. You feel so happy in that moment. So, Yamaguchi felt the way as I did, you think.

“Yamaguchi, me too,” you say. “I love you too.” He looks at you now. You raise your hand to his cheek and cup it. You bring his head to yours and kiss his nose. When you pull away from him, he brings his hands over to his face to hide. You giggle a bit. A cute reaction, just like him, you think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked Yamaguchi's chapter!! Next is Kuroo!!


	12. Tetsurou Kuroo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Kuroo get detention, but you guys sneak out and spend the entire day together. (Kinda Sorta Based on The Breakfast Club)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea came from a really good friend of mine.

You currently find yourself sitting in detention with Kuroo and coach Nekomata on a Saturday. The entire Saturday. You were planning to have fun with the managers and get work done, but no, Kuroo had to have his little accident. You remember back to when you stumbled upon him and Bokuto.

You were walking past the chemistry room because you were doing some exploring after breakfast. You could hear shouting from the room, even with the closed door. You crept towards and opened it slightly. It was Kuroo and Bokuto pouring random chemicals into a beaker and into a tub of mixed liquids. What the heck are they doing? You asked yourself. You went inside the room, but they don’t notice you because their backs were turned to you.

“Okay, so now we put the food coloring in to make it red,” you heard Kuroo’s voice say.

“What? Why can’t we make it my team colors?” Bokuto said.

“Because this was my idea,” Kuroo said.

“Aw, alright,” Bokuto said.

“Pour it in, hurry,” Kuroo said, and Bokuto drips in a small bottle that contained red liquid. “Perfect, now we need to mix some of the yeast with some warm water.”

“Roger that,” Bokuto said and poured warm water from a faucet into a cup. Kuroo poured some yeast into the warm water. You’re no scientist by any means, but you were sure they had to measure everything, but they didn’t measure anything at all. Not to mention the tub of liquids was pretty big. What sort of experiment are they doing?

“Okay, here, I’ll mix it,” Kuroo said, mixing the yeast and water with a ruler.

“The directions say to stir for thirty seconds,” Bokuto said.

“Okay, cool,” Kuroo said and mixed the water and yeast at full speed. Bokuto set a timer for thirty seconds. Kuroo continued to churn as fast as he could while Bokuto counted down the seconds.

“5…4…3…2…1…Stop!!!” Bokuto shouted, and Kuroo poured the water and yeast into the tub of liquids. The tub immediately erupted into a red foam. The foam was getting everywhere.

“Oh no, Bokuto! We overdid it,” Kuroo shouted at Bokuto.

“No! You were supposed to follow all the directions,” Bokuto shouted back to Kuroo. All three of you noticed the foam growing exponentially. You were the first to run out of the room. Bokuto and Kuroo unknowingly followed you. They ran out the door and shut it quickly. The both of them look at you, surprised.

“Y/N? What are you doing here?” Kuroo asked.

“Uh, just walking by,” you said.

“Oh, crap!” Bokuto shouted. You and Kuroo looked at him. “I gotta get to practice.”

“What? You can’t just leave me,” Kuroo said. Bokuto patted Kuroo’s shoulder and held a big smile.

“I think you can handle it,” Bokuto said and took off. In hindsight, you really should’ve followed him.

“Bokuto!!” Kuroo shouted after him, but Bokuto was a fast runner. “Damn it, what am I supposed to do now?”

“You have to clean it up, right?” you said, pointing to the closed door. He scowled.

“Yeah, no, I’m not cleaning that all up,” he said. “Maybe we just won’t tell anyone, and it’ll be a secret the three of us share.” You give him a look, but after a minute, you sigh.

“If you want, I can help you,” you say. Kuroo beamed at you and grabbed one of your hands.

“Oh my god, really? Well, we’d better—” Kuroo was cut off by…the two of you froze.

“What is going on here?” it was Shiratorizawa’s coach. You both were sweating bullets by then.

“Uh, nothing, sir,” you said. He looked at Kuroo, who looked even worse than you did.

“Yeah, nothing,” Kuroo said. Shiratorizawa’s coach looked between the two of you for a bit. His intense stare was stabbing and scary. Eventually, he went up to the door and opened it. You and Kuroo cringed, and you were pretty sure you saw Kuroo tear up. The red foam had infiltrated the floors almost close to the door. It even began climbing the tables and chairs in the room. Shiratorizawa’s coach didn’t say anything at first and instead stared at the scene. You were both so dead. So, so dead.

“Who…who did this?” Shiratorizawa’s coach asked. Kuroo perked up in fear. Damn it, I going to regret this, you thought.

“It was just me,” you said. Shiratorizawa’s coach turned back to you both. Kuroo looked at you with shock. “I was the one who did this.”

“Really?” Shiratorizawa’s coach asked, unconvinced. You nodded. Just then, you felt your hand receive a squeeze from Kuroo. You had forgotten that he was holding your hand.

“No!” Kuroo shouted and patted his chest. “I did it! I wanted to utilize the chemicals in this facility for an experiment.” You were surprised. You were about to take the fall, but he wasn’t gonna let it happen.

“Uh-huh, right,” Shiratorizawa’s coach said and started walking away in the hall. You and Kuroo looked at each other with hope and had the same thought. Maybe he’d let you go. “I’ll be notifying your coaches about this, and you’ll receive punishment.” You both drop your hope and sweat like crazy. You swallow a lump in your throat and pray to whomever or whatever that the punishment won’t be terrible.

And that is how you received detention, all because of some experiment that went haywire. You look down at the wooden table you rest your elbows on. You turn to look at Kuroo, whose head is on the table. He’d been lying like that since eight that morning, and it’s 9:30. You look at coach Nekomata; he’s just leafing through a magazine he found.

You look around your surroundings; the library is pretty big. There are two floors; the first floor is where you can work and study in groups and talk. The second is supposed to be completely silent, with two rooms that are club rooms. The first club room is for the literature club and the second is for the chess club. You, Kuroo, and coach Nekomata are in the chess club room. You and Kuroo are required to stay in this room till 5 pm. You didn’t mind not going out; it’s just the sitting there with nothing to do that bothered you. You look at Kuroo again. He’s probably sleeping, you think. You hear the ticking of the clock and glance at it. All the thoughts you have, and you make it to 9:33 am. Oh, great, you think. This’ll be a long day. You see coach Nekomata yawn while looking through the magazine. You even make a game of it. Every other page he looks through, he yawns. You can even see him start to close his eyes with his head starting to fall. You find yourself hoping he dozes off. You look at the clock; it’s 10:15 am, and when you turn back, coach Nekomata is knocked out.

“It should be about that time,” Kuroo says, suddenly making you look at him. He shoots his head up, and now he’s resting his chin on the table.

“What should be about that time?” you ask. He raises his hand from under the table to point at coach Nekomata.

“That he’s fallen asleep,” Kuroo says.

“Yeah, so?” you ask.

“He always falls asleep at 10:15 on the dot,” Kuroo says. “I’m guessing it’s an old person thing.” He gets up from his seat and walks towards coach Nekomata. You leap from your seat and stand up, leaning on the table with your palms.

“What’re you doing?” you ask.

“He’s not gonna wake up,” Kuroo says and pulls out his cell phone from the “confiscation” box on coach Nekomata’s table. He opens it up and starts playing loud music. Coach Nekomata does not stir at all. Kuroo fiddles with his phone a bit more before putting it in his pocket. “See? I told you.”

“Huh. I guess you’re right,” you say.

“He’s gonna wake around three, so we just have to be in our seats by then,” Kuroo says.

“Wait, you’re not implying that we can just leave, are you?” you ask. He shrugs and smiles at you.

“Why not? Yaku told me the coaches are out today,” Kuroo says. “And this coach,” he pats coach Nekomata’s shoulder. “Is gonna be asleep for a long time. So, we can do what we want without getting caught.”

“I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a good idea,” you say. “I’d rather just stay here.”

“Aw, come on. Where’s your sense of adventure?” Kuroo says and grabs your phone from the box. He walks over to you and hands it to you. He pats your head. “Just be back by three, kiddo, and we’ll be fine.” You grab his hand that patted your head. He blushes at your hand grabbing.

“I think we should stay together,” you say. “So, it’s either that neither of us gets in trouble or both of us.” He just stares at you. You feel embarrassed for your boldness.

“Are you sure you wanna take that chance?” Kuroo asks you. You nod, and he gives you a big smile. “Alright then, I like the sound of that.”

“Yeah,” you reply.

“Okay, I have a few things in mind that we can do. If you’re up for it?” Kuroo asks you. You give him a big smile too.

“Absolutely,” you say. You both look back at coach Nekomata’s sleeping self and run quietly to the door. You open the club room door and walk out, closing it behind you.

“Okay, so, Akaashi is probably downstairs right now,” Kuroo says. You look at him, confused.

“And that’s important because?” you ask. He gives you a smirk.

“Because he can tell us where Bokuto is,” Kuroo says. “Meaning I can get my revenge on him for ditching us.”

“Oh, I see,” you say a bit disapprovingly.

“Oh, come on. What he did is unforgivable, and he needs to see the error of his ways,” Kuroo says matter-of-factly. You shake your head while laughing.

“Alright, alright,” you say. He goes to the stairs with you behind him. You see that Akaashi is reading a book sitting on one of the couches near the welcome desk. He’s wearing his regular clothes with his glasses.

“Hey, Akaashi,” Kuroo says, waving his hand to get Akaashi’s attention. Only Akaashi’s eyes look up at you both.

“What?” he asks, looking pretty upset that you both interrupted him.

“Do you know where Bokuto is?” Kuroo asks.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in detention right now?” Akaashi asks. You start to sweat, but Kuroo looks completely calm.

“Coach let us out early because of our good behavior,” Kuroo says and puts his arm around your shoulder and pulls you close to him. Akaashi glares at you both.

“I’m sure that’s the case,” Akaashi says sarcastically.

“Oh, it is,” Kuroo says confidently. “So, where’s that horned owl bastard?” Akaashi rolls his eyes and goes back to his book.

“He’s out with some of the other third years,” Akaashi says. Kuroo gives him a smirk and pats his head. Akaashi looks even more pissed off.

“Thanks,” Kuroo says and then turns to you. “Alright, let’s go.” Kuroo grabs your hand, and you both run off. He drags you away from the library all the way back to the classrooms, and the classrooms are all the way across the campus.

“Did you have to run so fast?” you ask Kuroo, out of breath, when you reach the classrooms.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Kuroo says, giving you a sympathetic smile and scratching the back of his head. “It’s just that we only have so much time to execute my plan.”

“And what’s your plan?” you ask. He gives you a devilish smirk.

“You’ll see,” Kuroo says. He leads you to the classroom, but it’s the Fukuroudani classroom. You feel a bit uncomfortable being there.

“Are you sure we can be here?” you ask.

“Yeah, I come here all the time; we’ll be fine,” Kuroo says and goes into Bokuto’s bag.

“What’re you doing with Bokuto’s stuff?” you ask. He pulls out a marker from Bokuto’s bag. It’s a children’s black marker. “Woah! What’s that for?” You hear Kuroo laugh sinisterly.

“Well, you know how Bokuto has printed t-shirts?” Kuroo asks you.

“Uh, yeah?” you say, confused.

“Well, I’m just gonna change some of the kanji of his shirts, that’s all,” Kuroo says. Before you can protest, Kuroo softens your fear. “Don’t worry; it’s not a permanent marker. It comes off in the wash.”

“That’s good,” you breathe. He looks back at you and gives you a small smile.

“I’d never do something as cruel as to use a permanent marker,” he says. He goes back and uncaps the marker using his teeth and scans the first shirt. You sit beside him and look at the first shirt. It has “The power of a thousand soldiers in one.”

“What’re you gonna change for the first one?” you ask.

“I have a few ideas,” Kuroo says and begins scribbling the kanji, changing it. He continues this process for almost all of Bokuto’s shirts. You still don’t really approve of this, but you did admit some were a bit funny. Kuroo caps the marker and slips it into Konoha’s bag.

“Really?” you say, giving him a look.

“What? It’s to hide the suspicion of myself,” Kuroo says.

“So, you’re gonna frame Konoha instead?” you ask.

“Okay, okay, I won’t do it,” Kuroo says and takes the marker out of Konoha’s bag and puts it back in Bokuto’s. You look at Bokuto’s shirts that are still scattered all over the floor.

“Don’t you think you should put the shirts back where you found them?” you ask. He looks back to the shirts and looks nervous.

“Crap, you’re right,” he says and stuffs the shirts back into Bokuto’s bag. “Okay, phase one of today is complete,” he says with a smirk.

“Phase one?” you ask.

“Yup, you see, I have four phases for today, and we’ve completed the first,” he says. He grabs his phone from his pocket and checks the time. “And we finished right on time too.” He holds your hand again, and you both walk out of the room. His constant grabbing of your hand keeps making your heart leap.

“S-so, what’s next?” you ask.

“Well, it’s 11 now, so we have to do something before eating some lunch,” he says.

“Okay, so what is the wise Kuroo thinking?” you ask. You can see his ego glow.

“Well, Y/N, I thought maybe we could go into town and see what we can find,” he says.

“Sounds good,” you say, and you both leave the classrooms and walk out. You walk to the gate and see a few places you can check out, but Kuroo seems to have his mind set on something.

“Why don’t we go to one of the stores around here?” he suggests.

“Yeah, I have some money I can use, so sure,” you say. He leads you to a small store. It’s a vintage toy shop. You both go inside, and the shelves are filled with old toys, from wind-up toys to old finger puppets.

“I saw this place a few days ago and wanted to check it out if I ever had the chance,” Kuroo says, standing beside you.

“It’s so cute,” you say. He chuckles.

“Yeah,” he says. You immediately start to investigate the first shelf. The first shelf is full of old small toy cars. You liked the blue Mini Cooper. The next shelf has Victorian dressed porcelain dolls. All very, very expensive. The next shelf has some wind-up toys. You play with pretty much all of them. Kuroo goes to the other side of the store and looks at some of the finger puppets.

After a while, you decide to buy a small crystal lucky cat that you saw on the last shelf you looked at. Kuroo shows you his purchase as the person rings him up at the register. Kuroo bought himself a black cat finger puppet and a small black dog finger puppet.

After putting your crystal cat into a protective box and bag and Kuroo puts his purchase into a bag, you guys head out of the shop. When you step back outside, you hear Kuroo’s stomach growl.

“Woah, I’m guessing you’re hungry, then?” you ask.

“What gave it away?” Kuroo asks.

“Don’t worry, I know a place,” you say.

“Oya. Do you now?” Kuroo asks you with his signature smirk.

“Y-yeah, because us managers went there for dinner one time,” you say and blush.

“Oh, I see,” Kuroo says, still smirking at you. “Well, then I’ll let you lead the way.” You walk ahead of him with your redness still there. You try to calm yourself down as he follows you. You make it to the restaurant, and your face is not as red hot as before. You both walk inside, and the décor is just as good as you remember. The theme is more of a hibachi kind of place. You can sit at the bar and eat or sit where the chefs cook for you. You can also cook for yourself at a table.

“Wow, this place looks good,” Kuroo says.

“O-oh, yeah. So, where do you wanna sit?” you ask. “We can sit at the bar, or we can—”

“How about we cook our food?” Kuroo says.

“Yeah, sure,” you say. The two of you request to sit at the cooking table. When you get there, some ingredients are waiting for you. When you sit down, you put your shopping bags beside you on the seats. You both also think about what you want to cook. You decide you’ll cook some ramen that you cook everything yourself. You’ll have the broth brought to you, though.

“What’re you gonna get?” Kuroo asks from across the table. You look up at him from your menu.

“I think I’ll make the ingredients for some ramen, but I’ll have the broth brought to me,” you say. “What about you?”

“I think I’ll cook my own meat,” he says, looking very confident. I can’t wait to see how that’ll turn out, you think.

“Good luck,” you say.

“Wha- hey! I can totally handle it,” he defends, giving you a fake pout. You laugh, and he smiles after seeing you laugh. The two of you order and receive your ingredients.

“Okay, so I need to cook each side for 3-4 minutes,” Kuroo says, looking at the directions. You have already started cooking your noodles and vegetables together. You begin praying to whomever or whatever that Kuroo doesn’t burn his meat.

“And you’re sure?” you ask.

“Yeah, totally sure,” he says.

“Are you sure you’re sure? We both saw what happened to the chem lab,” you say. Kuroo’s face drops when you mention “the accident.”

“Yeah…” he says uncertainly. You grab his recipe and scan it. Huh. He was right; it is about 3-4 minutes, you think.

“Well, I can help you if you need,” you say.

“Really, Y/N? Thanks,” he says.

“Of course,” you say and go back to your food. He watches his steak with intensity, not wanting to mess up. You couldn’t help but giggle. It was so cute. He finishes his food before you. You are glad that he didn’t burn anything.

“You want me to help you with that?” Kuroo asks, noticing your food still getting cooked.

“Huh? Oh, no. I’m okay but thank you for offering,” you say.

“Sure,” Kuroo simply says and watches you do your thing.

Eventually, after you’re done, the waiter gives you your broth for the ramen. You dump everything inside, and you are actually quite proud of your work. Kuroo is still finishing his food. He offered to wait for your meal, but you told him just to start eating without you. The two of you enjoy your lunch, and after you’re done, you head back out into town with your shopping bags in hand.

“So, how was your lunch?” you ask as you walk around the town, finding a new place to check out.

“It was great. You picked a perfect place, Y/N. How was your lunch?” he asks you.

“It was delicious,” you say.

“Hey, I’m glad to hear it,” he says. You blush at his words.

“S-so, what time is it?” you ask. He grabs his phone from his pocket and checks.

“About 12:50,” he says and then puts his phone back in his pocket.

“So, we have about a few hours before we head back?” you ask.

“Yeah, I think there’s an arcade around here we can check out,” he says and gestures with his head in front of you guys.

“Oh, yeah. That sounds like fun,” you say, and he smiles at you. He leads you both to an arcade with all kinds of games for you both to enjoy. There’s a racing game, air hockey, a prize claw, and many, many more.

“You’ve got cash on you, right?” Kuroo asks, and you nod. “Excellent.” You both head to the air hockey first.

“I love playing this,” you say. Kuroo gives you a smirk.

“I bet I can beat you,” Kuroo says.

“Yeah, right,” you say sarcastically.

“It’s true, Kenma and I have competitions all the time. So, I’m a pro at this game,” he says. You roll your eyes.

“Then prove it,” you say. He begins putting cash inside the machine, and the air starts blowing from the small holes. You put your shopping bags on the floor next to the table. You each grab pushers, and Kuroo starts with the puck.

“Oh, I will prove it,” Kuroo says and tosses the puck on the table and slams it with his pusher, and scores a point. You feel pretty surprised and dumbfounded. “See? I told you I’d—” you score on him as he’s gloating.

“Whoops. If you don’t pay attention, rooster head, I’ll take the game,” you say, smirking. He looks down at the puck in the goal and then back at you.

“Well, someone’s getting into it. You must be pretty competitive,” Kuroo says.

“Eh, I can be,” you say, shrugging, and he takes the puck out quickly and scores. He laughs sinisterly. “Alright, now this means war.” You grab the puck and slam it towards Kuroo, who blocks your advance. The puck is slammed back towards you, and you hit it. Again, he blocks it.

“Look at that, not only am I a master blocker on the volleyball court. I’m also a master blocker here,” he says, watching you try to score.

“Damn it,” you say. He holds his smirk the whole time he blocks your attempts. “I’m not gonna lose.” You slam it again, but this time Kuroo misses it, and you score. You throw your fist up in victory.

“Wow, I guess you got me,” Kuroo says and tosses the puck back on the table. “But I don’t plan on losing either.” The game continues for a long, long time. Quite honestly, it probably was only 20 minutes, but it felt like a long time. You won against Kuroo, the final score being 25-24. You both finish up and put your pushers back in their place and grab your shopping bags and go on to the prize claw.

“I can’t believe I won,” you say, ecstatic. Kuroo blushes a bit.

“I-I let you win,” he says. You pat his shoulder.

“I’m sure you did,” you say. “Should I get you a prize to help the bitter defeat?” He gives you a look.

“I can do it myself, thank you very much,” he says and puts cash in the machine. He squints his eyes, staring at the claw and the toys inside. “What kind of prize do you want?”

“Huh?” you say, surprised. “You want to get it for me?”

“Well, yeah, it’s…it’s…it’s only fair,” he says hesitantly. “So, you can pick, and I’ll try to get it for you.”

“Oh, okay,” you say. “Th-thank you, Kuroo.”

“Sure thing,” he says.

“I guess the little black cat is cute,” you say and point to the black cat sitting in the very back.

“Alright, then I’ll get it for you,” he says, and hardcore focuses on the stuffed animal. He brings the claw towards it and misses. You hear him hum in annoyance.

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” you say. He shakes his head and puts some more cash in.

“No, I’m gonna get it,” he says and tries again. He fails a second time. He isn’t giving up, though. After what seems like a million tries, you both run out of cash.

“It’s okay, Kuroo, really,” you say, trying to cheer him up. “Honestly, just the thought is sweet enough.”

“I’m sorry I really tried to get it for you,” he says, looking down at the floor.

“Kuroo,” you say.

“Maybe I can—” Kuroo gets cut off by a buzzing in his pocket. It’s his phone going off. He takes it out of his pocket and checks it. His eyes widen in shock and panic.

“What? What’s wrong?” you ask.

“We gotta go back, like, now,” Kuroo says, and now you’re panicking too.

“Oh, no,” you say. He grabs your hand, and you both run as fast as you possibly can. You don’t stop until you run to the library back at Seijoh. By the time Kuroo let your hand go at the club room door, you’re about to collapse. The running really took a lot out of you.

“Are you okay?” he asks; he’s out of breath too.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m just glad we got back in time,” you say.

“Yeah, me too,” Kuroo says. Before you can open the door to go back to detention, Kuroo stops you.

“Huh? Don’t we have to get in before coach Nekomata wakes up?” you say.

“Yeah, but I want to give you something because you stuck by me today and originally took the fall for what happened at the chem lab,” he says. Your eyes widen, and you blush.

“Oh, you don’t have to,” you say. He chuckles at that.

“Really, I want to,” he says and goes inside his shopping bag from the vintage toy store. He brings out the black cat finger puppet. It’s adorable. You blush even more. “I was planning on giving it to you anyway; it’ll replace the one you actually wanted.” You take it from him. You give him a small smile.

“Are you kidding? This one is even better than the one before,” you say, and he blushes now.

“Oh, I’m glad,” he says and scratches the back of his neck. “Say, Y/N?” You stop looking at the finger puppet to look at him.

“Yes?” you ask.

“We should do this again. I had a really fun time,” he says.

“You mean we get detention together?” you say jokingly. He playfully rolls his eyes at you.

“No, I mean, us hanging out,” he says.

“I’d love to do that,” you say.

“And, hey, if we call it a date, that wouldn’t be so bad,” he says, and you roll your eyes.

“Okay, rooster head, we can call it a date,” you say. He gives you a big smile, and you both walk inside the club room. You both see coach Nekomata in the same place you left him and still fast asleep. You both sit down at your seats, making sure to leave your shopping bags outside the room. You didn’t want coach Nekomata seeing them; if he did, then you’d get caught.

After a few minutes, coach Nekomata suddenly wakes up. It makes you jump, and Kuroo laughs. Coach Nekomata looks at you both. You and Kuroo just smile at him.

“I may have dozed off, and for that, I apologize,” coach Nekomata says.

“Don’t worry about it, coach,” Kuroo says.

“Oh, good,” coach Nekomata says. “Since you guys didn’t do anything too bad…I think you both can leave early for today.” You and Kuroo look at each other happily.

“Th-thank you,” you say.

“Thank you so much, coach,” Kuroo says.

“But you better go straight to studying and getting caught up for school,” coach Nekomata says.

“Yes, sir,” Kuroo says, and he gets up. You follow Kuroo out the door. After he closes the door, he turns to you. “So, you free for dinner later?”

“For you, Kuroo, always,” you say. You grab your shopping bags. You both walk down the stairs and out of the library. The first thing you see is Bokuto and Akaashi. They’re talking about something. You and Kuroo look at each other before walking over.

“Hey, guys, what’s up?” Kuroo asks.

“I was telling Bokuto that his shirt’s message is all wrong,” Akaashi says. Kuroo stifles a laugh, and you giggle. Bokuto and Akaashi look at you, both confused. After a moment, Akaashi understands what happened.

“Yeah, and we have no clue who could’ve done it,” Bokuto says. Kuroo stifles another laugh, and you laugh this time. “What? What’s so funny?”

“N-nothing,” you say.

“Yeah, nothing. Whoever it was, though, was really committed to the prank,” Kuroo says.

“Yeah, they were, how strange,” Bokuto says, going into a deep thought pose. “But who has beef with me?” You and Kuroo laugh again.

“I don’t know, man, but it sounds like you need to start doing good deeds for everyone you know,” Kuroo says. “Just to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“Everyone?” Bokuto shouts. Akaashi facepalms because he’s had enough of this. “Well, that’s probably a good idea.” You nod.

“It is, bro; I’m always looking out for you,” Kuroo says.

“Thank you, bro,” Bokuto says. “And speaking of looking out for each other, I want to thank you both for taking the fall from the other day.”

“Of course,” Kuroo says. He obviously doesn’t mean it, though. “I will always have your back.”

“And you know I have yours,” Bokuto replies.

“Anyway, Y/N and I have some things to do, so we’ll catch you guys later,” Kuroo says and grabs your hand, and walks off with you.

“Still mad at him?” you ask.

“Yup,” Kuroo says. “But he didn’t suspect me, so I guess I should forgive him, but we’ll see how it goes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Kuroo's chapter!! Next is Yaku!!


	13. Morisuke Yaku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Yaku save a kitten from the rain, and you both get supplies for it.

Today is a frigid and rainy day. All the practice matches are not as bad because everyone wanted to keep moving around to stay warm. You, Kiyoko, and Yachi are all huddled together watching Karasuno play Johzenji. Karasuno already won the first set, so they just need to take the second.

“Do you think it’ll warm up by the time we have dinner?” Yachi asks, shivering.

“Man, I hope so,” you say, sliding your hands up and down your arms, trying to keep warm.

“It’s supposed to rain all night,” Kiyoko says. You and Yachi shiver even more. Just hearing that this’ll continue is making you even colder.

“Oh, no,” you say.

“And we don’t have heat in the classrooms,” Yachi says. You and Yachi get closer while Kiyoko scribbles in her notebook.

“K-Kiyoko aren’t you cold?” you ask.

“Not really,” Kiyoko says, watching the match. “I’m wearing the Karasuno jacket, so I’m fine.”

“W-we are too,” you say, and Yachi nods. “And we’re still cold.” Kiyoko giggles.

“Sorry about that. We have one more match after this one,” Kiyoko says.

“W-with who?” Yachi asks. Kiyoko thinks for a bit before answering.

“I think it’s Nekoma,” Kiyoko replies. You and Yachi exchange looks. They’re a good team, and they’re a fun group too.

“Really? That sounds like it’ll be fun,” you say. Kiyoko and Yachi agree with you. Out of all the other teams Karasuno plays against, you’d have to say Nekoma is your favorite. It’s probably because you have gotten to know them so well.

The second set with Johzenji ends, and Karasuno wins the match. You help Kiyoko and Yachi pass some of the water bottles out to the boys. You give some to the second years. You and the second years were quite close. You hand Ennoshita and Noya water bottles you had in each hand.

“Do you know who we’re going up against next?” Ennoshita asks you.

“I do, actually. We’re going up against Nekoma,” you say. They all look pretty excited, especially Nishinoya and Tanaka.

“Yes! We get to go up against Taketora. I’m revved up now,” Tanaka says.

“Hell yeah! And I can’t wait to challenge their libero,” Nishinoya says. Ennoshita, you, Kinoshita, and Narita just let them revel in their excitement.

“Well, I’m glad you guys are excited, but you can afford to tone it down a bit,” Ennoshita says. Noya and Tanaka are even more revved up. “I guess we should just let them be.”

“I think it’s good they’re excited,” you say.

“Yeah, maybe then Tanaka’ll finally impress Kiyoko with his playing, who knows?” Kinoshita says. Tanaka immediately 180s and gets upset.

“Hey, I always impress Kiyoko,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest. “Right, Y/N?” he says to you as you try to give him a bottle. You shrug in response.

“Uh, who can say?” you reply. Tanaka becomes even more downcast. The other second years laugh.

You see the Nekoma team coming through the door of the gym. Judging by the state of their hair and clothes, it’s still raining outside. Wait, that’s weird, you think. You feel like someone’s missing. The Nekoma team makes their way to you all.

“Hey, where’s your third-year libero?” Nishinoya asks Kuroo. That’s who they were missing.

“He went to go get something a bit earlier,” Kuroo says. “But it’s been a bit, and he hasn’t come back yet.”

“Really? That’s kinda weird,” Nishinoya says. You think for a minute. Maybe you could help.

“Well, maybe before we start, I can try and find him?” you suggest.

“Are you sure? It’s still raining out, and it’s pretty cold,” Kuroo says.

“Yeah, you don’t wanna catch a cold,” Nishinoya says. You wave them both off.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll wear a jacket and bring an umbrella,” you say to ease their worry. Luckily, you brought your umbrella with you for just such an occasion.

“Okay, do you want me to tell the coaches for you?” Nishinoya asks. You give him a small smile.

“Yeah, thank you. Don’t worry, guys, I’ll be back before the match even starts,” you say and walk over to grab your jacket. You put it on and go to the entrance. You pull out your pocket-size umbrella and open it. You make sure you have your cell phone in the other jacket pocket just in case. You put on your boots to walk around on the wet ground. You step out into the rain; it is really coming down. Hopefully, you can find Yaku. Yaku was one of the first Nekoma boys to talk to you. So, you remember him very well. You set out to find him, wherever he may be.

You start by checking the other gyms, but you had no luck. You go to the dining hall and nothing. Next, the classrooms and came up with nothing. You go to the library and find zip again. Where could he be? You ask yourself. You go up to the front gate of the school to collect your thoughts. He’s not the type to ditch his team, you think. He probably has a good reason, right?

You pass the gate entrance and see someone crouching down near some trash cans. They are holding their jacket above their head near a cardboard box. You are hesitant to approach because you have no idea who could be over there. So, instead, you think trying to get their attention is better.

“Uh, hey!” you shout towards them. They are about 20 feet away from you. The rain is loud, but you’re sure they can hear you. The person takes off their jacket from their head to look at you. You gasp in surprise. It’s Yaku.

“Huh?” Yaku says. You rush over to him. He’s covering his jacket over himself and the box again.

“Y-Yaku, what are you doing out here?” you ask and crouch down too.

“Oh, well, you see…” he trails off. “You know what, I think it’s better if I show you.” He moves his jacket and gestures you to put your umbrella over you both. When he takes the coat off the box, you see a small kitten huddled, trying to keep warm. It’s a tabby kitten.

“Aww,” you gush. “Is that why you didn’t come to the practice match?”

“Yeah,” he says and scratches the back of his head. “I wanted to come here earlier, but I couldn’t.”

“Oh, I see,” you say.

“I found this little guy a few days ago,” Yaku says. “I wanted to try and save it, but I couldn’t at the time. But now I’m here for it. I’m gonna protect it from the rain.” You feel yourself get warmer. You think it’s adorable and noble of him to do this.

“Well, we can’t leave this little guy out in the rain,” you say, and Yaku nods.

“You’re right. I’m actually happy you’re here because you can help me,” Yaku says.

“Good point,” you say. Yaku scoops the box up, and you both stand together. “Where should we go?”

“I guess we should probably take it to the classrooms for now,” he says. “We don’t want to keep it out in the rain and the cold.” You nod, and you both head to the classrooms. You climb the stairs to the rooms the teams are staying in.

“I think we can put it in the managers’ room for now with my stuff,” you say, pointing to the manager room door.

“A-are you sure? I-I don’t want to trouble you,” Yaku says with a dust of red on his cheeks.

“Yeah, I think the managers will be okay with it,” you say.

“Th-thank you,” Yaku says. You smile at him and lead him to the managers’ room. You open the door and flip on the lights. The room is pretty clean, so hopefully, the kitten will feel at home. You lead him to your cot, and he places the box at the edge of it. The little kitten sneezes a bit before coming out of the box. The kitten immediately goes over to Yaku and starts rubbing its head on Yaku’s legs. Yaku bends down and starts to pet it.

“Aww, it likes you,” you say.

“Heh, yeah,” he says, giving the kitten head pats. You attempt to pet the cat, but it hisses at you. Your heart internally breaks from the rejection. So, you back off. “Sorry, I guess it doesn’t like you.” That stung even more.

“I-It’s okay,” you say, barely containing your sadness. Yaku stands back up.

“Okay, now I just need to get supplies for it,” Yaku says and turns to you with a cute smile. “Thank you for helping me out.”

“S-sure,” you say.

“You can head back to the gym if you want,” he says. That’s the last thing you want to do right now.

“W-wait, I’ll come with you,” you say. He gives you a surprised look before blushing.

“Are you sure? It’s pretty cold out, and…” he trails off again.

“I want to help out in any way I can,” you say.

“Thank you,” he says. “Well, first, we’ll probably need to get some cat food.” You nod in response. You notice the kitten trot over to Kiyoko’s bed and lay on it. You kind of hoped the kitten would sleep on your cot, but cats tend to do their own thing. You look back at Yaku.

“R-right! And we’ll need to get it some water and milk too,” you suggest.

“That’s a good idea. We just need to find a store that’ll have all that,” he says. Now that the two of you have a plan, you set out back into the cold rain with your jackets on. You both huddle under the umbrella together, trying to stay warm and stay out of the rain. You were gonna hold the umbrella yourself, but Yaku said he’d carry it. So, the two of you search for your supplies. For the milk and water, you stop at a convenient store outside the Seijoh school gate. When you enter, you both shake the cold and rain off yourselves. You walk over to the fridge with the drinks inside, and Yaku follows you. He folds the umbrella back to its pocket size while you look at the beverages.

“Do you think we should get bottled water?” you ask him.

“Uh, I don’t know. Do you think cats are okay with bottled water?” Yaku asks.

“I’m not sure,” you say. You grab your phone and look up whether or not bottled water is okay. “It says online that it’s alright to give bottled water to pets, and I guess milk is really not all that great for cats.” You both look at each other, surprised at that last bit about milk.

“Huh. Really? I thought cats liked milk,” he says.

“Me too. I guess not, though,” you say.

“Yeah,” he says. You put your phone back in your pocket. You open the fridge and grab some water. You both walk over to the cash register and pay for the water. “Do you know a place nearby that sells cat food?” Yaku asks the guy ringing up the water.

“There’s a place a few stores away that has some,” the guy says. “If you walk to left after exiting. I think the place that has it is called ‘For All The Needs of Your Pet,’ or something like that.” He hands Yaku the bag with the water inside.

“Thank you,” you and Yaku both say at the same time. You both blush and look at one another, and laugh nervously.

“Sure, anytime,” the guy says. You both walk over to the entrance and wave goodbye to the clerk. He waves back, and Yaku opens the umbrella back up as the two of you slip back outside.

“Do you want me to carry the bag?” you ask him as you begin walking to your left.

“No, it’s okay, I got it,” he says.

“Oh, okay,” you say. You both walk a bit fast to the store. Luckily the walk was not as bad as you thought it was going to be. You enter the store, and both shake the cold off again. Yaku collapses the umbrella, and you both rush to the cat food section.

“So, what kind of food is good for a kitten?” Yaku asks. You scan all the foods available.

“Let me see,” you say and pull your phone from your pocket again. “It says that wet food is good for kittens.” Yaku grabs the canned wet food, and you both go to the cashier.

“Did you both find what you needed?” the clerk asks you both. You both nod. “That’s great. With your purchase, you get a free cat toy.” The clerk places a little ball with a bell inside the bag.

“Oh, uh, cool, thanks,” Yaku says as he pays. The clerk hands him the bag. The two thank the clerk and walk to the door. Yaku opens the umbrella, and you go out into the rain again. You fast walk back to Seijoh and back to the classroom. When you enter the manager’s room, the kitten is fast asleep on Kiyoko’s cot. You both set the bags on your cot and watch the kitten sleep before you sit down on the floor.

“If you want, I can stay with it, and you can go back to the practice match,” you say. He perks up a bit. You can even see him blush a bit.

“N-no, it’s okay, I can stay here with you,” Yaku says. “After all, I did find him.”

“Him?” you ask. You don’t realize Yaku knows its gender.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. He’s a him,” Yaku says and laughs nervously.

“Well, then, you should name him,” you say.

“You think so?” Yaku asks, chuckling.

“Yeah,” you say, glancing to the sleeping kitty. “I mean, it’s only right.”

“Okay,” he says and thinks for a minute. “Hmm, how about Katsu?”

“Katsu,” you repeat. “I like it. It suits him.”

“Yeah, it does,” Yaku says and looks back to little sleeping Katsu. You look at Katsu too. His fur kinda looks like Yaku’s hair. “Y/N?” Yaku says. You look back at him. He’s looking at you with an embarrassed face.

“Yeah?” you say.

“Thank you for helping me out with Katsu today and for kinda taking him in for the time being,” Yaku says.

“Sure thing, I had a lot of fun,” you say.

“I-I’m glad,” Yaku says. Just then, your phone starts to buzz in your pocket. You grab it out of your pocket and open it up. You’re getting a call from Kiyoko. Uh, oh. That’s not good, you think.

“H-hello?” you say into the phone.

“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!” the other person on the line shouts. It’s coach Ukai. You’re dead.

“Uh, I’m, um, looking for Yaku,” you say. Yaku looks nervous for you and himself. You are sweating like crazy.

“You’ve been gone for like an hour,” coach Ukai shouts at you.

“Really? It’s been that long?” you say, trying to ease the situation.

“Yeah, we finished the match, and you and Yaku are still missing,” coach says. “At least tell me you’re on campus.”

“I am,” you say.

“Thank god. Okay, where are you specifically?” coach asks.

“I’m in the classrooms right now,” you say.

“Okay, well, just come to the dining hall, okay?” he says. “And when we’re all together, we’ll find Yaku.”

“Oh!” you shout, making Yaku jump a bit. “Wait, I just found him, so there’s no need for a search party.”

“Wait, you just now found him?” coach asks you. Yaku looks at you nervously again.

“Yup, so we’re all good,” you say.

“Well, meet us at the cafeteria, okay?” coach says on the other line.

“We’ll be there,” you say. You and coach say your goodbyes, and you hang up the phone. Yaku puts his hands over his face.

“I’m so, so sorry if I got you into trouble,” he says. You lean towards him and grab his hands with yours. You remove his hands from his face.

“Hey, don’t worry, as long as we’re safe and Katsu’s safe,” you say, giving him a reassuring smile. “Cause that’s the most important thing, right?” Yaku mirrors your smile.

“Thank you, Y/N,” he says. “You’ve done so much for me, and I can’t thank you enough. All I’ve done is thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. I had so much hanging out with you,” you say. It’s true. This is the first time you guys have really hung out, and you had a great time.

“Me too,” Yaku says. He looks down at your hands; they’re still holding his. You blush. He intertwines his fingers with yours making you blush even more. He pulls his hands away. “Ah! Sorry, I just wanted to see what it was like to hold your hands. I’m sorry.” You look at your now empty hands.

“It’s fine,” you say. “I’m kinda sad you stopped holding them, though.” Now he blushes. He puts his hand out in front of you, and you gladly take it. You both blush.

“W-we should probably head to the cafeteria,” you say.

“Y-yeah,” Yaku says.

The two of you leave the classroom with your umbrella and jackets. Yaku opens the umbrella when you leave the building, and you cling to him a little more than you did before. When you get to the cafeteria, everyone is already inside. When Yaku collapses the umbrella, Nekoma and Karasuno look at you both. You both blush because you’re still holding each other’s hand.

“Huh. Now we know why they were gone for so long,” Kuroo says, and looks at Daichi. “Pay up, Sawamura; I told you they’d get together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Yaku's chapter!! Next is Yamamoto!


	14. Taketora Yamamoto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader wants to give Yamamoto Valentine's Day chocolate early. Hopefully, the reader can give it to him.

“Okay, is it someone from Date Tech?” Mai asks you.

“No, it’s not someone from Date Tech,” you reply.

“Come on, Y/N, don’t leave us in the dark like this,” Yukie says.

“Sorry, guys,” you say. All the managers are trying to find out who the Valentine’s chocolate is for. So far, you’ve been able to keep the recipient under wraps. Ever since the chocolate fell out of your bag on the first day of training camp, they’ve been trying desperately to figure out who it’s for. “But even if you get the person right, I’m still gonna say ‘no.’”

“What? That’s not fair at all,” Yukie says.

“Yeah, come on, give us one little hint,” Kaori says.

“Wait, before she gives us a hint, let’s compare notes,” Hana says. The girls do a huddle with you hanging off of it. Everyone is sitting in a circle in the classroom they’re staying in. It’s technically bedtime, but they’re more pressing issues at the moment.

“Okay, yesterday, Y/N said that it’s a boy who is currently here at the training camp,” Runa says.

“Okay, three days ago, Y/N told me it’s a wing spiker,” Yukie says. You begin to think about why this whole thing is so important to them. Kiyoko and Yachi are out currently, so you’re left alone with the other managers.

“Good, good. That narrows it down,” Kaori says, and everyone nods their heads.

“Ladies, I think we know what our hint will be,” Hana says. They all agree with her. They all turn back to you, ready. “Is he an ace?” Shit, you think.

“N—” they cut you off.

“It’s just a hint, so you have to answer,” Yukie says. Who made up these rules? You sigh. I guess it wouldn’t hurt, you think.

“Yes, he is an ace spiker,” you say, and they go to their huddle again. Well, jokes on them, you think. They’ll never guess who it is.

“Okay, who are the ace spikers?” Hana asks.

“We have Bokuto,” Yukie says, and Kaori agrees.

“We have Futakuchi,” Mai says. You figure giving them another hint wouldn’t be so bad.

“The ace’s team doesn’t have a manager,” you say. They all get even more excited.

“Okay, that just leaves four aces,” Hana says.

“Perfect, we’ll find out who it is,” Yukie says.

“Y/N can’t keep it from us for long now,” Kaori says.

“I’m right over here, you know,” you say. They wave you off and continue trying to guess who it is. This goes on until Yachi and Kiyoko finally return from their adventure. Everyone settles into their cots and goes to sleep. You stay up a bit thinking about this whole thing. You want the gift-giving to be kind of private. It only has to involve you and him anyway. You can’t see him for Valentine’s Day, so this is the best time to give him his chocolate. The only person who knows about your crush is Kiyoko, and you know she wouldn’t tell anyone. You flip over to your right, where Kiyoko is sleeping.

“Hey, Kiyoko, are you awake?” you whisper. She turns to look at you. So, she is awake, you think.

“Yes, why?” she whispers back.

“Well, it’s just that…all the girls are trying to guess who the chocolate’s for,” you reply, feel embarrassed even talking about this.

“Well, you did bring the chocolate, of course, they’re going to be a little curious about it,” Kiyoko says.

“I guess, but I didn’t realize they would be so adamant,” you say. Kiyoko gives you a reassuring smile.

“They don’t mean it maliciously. I’m sure once they know, they’ll want to help and support you in any way that they can,” Kiyoko says.

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” you say. “I’m really nervous about giving the chocolate to him. What if he doesn’t like it?”

“He will love it,” Kiyoko says. “Especially because it’s coming from you.”

“Thanks, Kiyoko,” you say. The two of you turn back around and fall asleep.

Then next morning, you feel someone poking your arm. You open your eyes and see it’s Yukie. When she sees you staring at her, she backs away.

“S-sorry, it’s just we gotta get to breakfast,” Yukie says.

“Oh, really? Did I sleep in late again?” you ask her as you sit up.

“Just a little,” she says. “We wanted to wake you up earlier, but you looked so cute while you were sleeping.” You blush.

“O-oh,” is all you can say. She giggles. You shoot up from your cot and get dressed. You use the bathroom and brush your teeth before leaving. The two of you walk down to the cafeteria, get your breakfast and sit with the other managers.

“So, how was your beauty rest, Y/N?” Hana asks you as you sit down. You give her a look.

“Haha, very funny,” you say sarcastically.

“Anyway, so, how’s operation chocolate going?” Yukie nudges you with her elbow. You give her a look now.

“It’s going just fine, thank you,” you say. The girls all groan.

“Come on, just tell us who you like,” Kaori says. “We won’t tell anybody.” All the girls agree. You look to Kiyoko for reassurance. She gives you a face of “it’s the last day of training camp. I think you should tell them.” You look at all the girls and blush.

“Well…” you hesitate. “It’s…it’s…Yamamoto,” you mumble.

“What?” Yukie asks loudly. “Speak up.” You shush her and motion for everyone to come close. They all lean their heads in to hear you.

“It’s Yamamoto,” you say. Everyone leans back quickly in shock.

“Seriously?!?” Mai shouts. She shouts so loud that everyone in the dining hall looks at you guys. Your face starts steaming from the embarrassment. Mai tries to cover it up. “They don’t have any pancakes today? That’s crazy.” She gives you a wink. You just facepalm.

“Wow, I never would’ve guessed,” Kaori says.

“Yeah, me neither,” Hana says. “What about him do you like?” You get even redder.

“W-well, he’s a bit hot-headed, but he’s kind. He’s super passionate, and he always speaks his mind. His shyness is cute, and he isn’t afraid to go after what he cares about,” you say. Everyone’s eyes except Kiyoko’s are all wide. You didn’t realize they’d be this surprised.

“How cute,” Mai says. “Don’t worry; we’ll help you with your Valentine’s Day chocolate.”

“R-really?” you ask, hopeful.

“Absolutely. We have your back,” Hana says. Everyone nods their heads. You feel so much better. I guess I should’ve just told them from the beginning, you think.

“Wait,” Runa says, and everyone looks at her. “Today is the last day of the training camp. If you’re gonna give him the chocolate, Y/N, you’ll have to do it today.” Your heart sinks a bit. She’s right. You aren’t sure if you’re ready for that, though.

“I know,” you say. “And I’m terrified.” Yukie puts her hands on your shoulders and turns you to face her.

“Y/N, don’t be scared. You’re awesome, and you’ll be fine. He’ll love your chocolate, and you guys will be happy together,” she says. The steam pops back up again after hearing that last bit. You hide your face with your hands.

“Yeah, there’s nothing to be afraid of,” Hana says, and all the girls agree and shower you with praise and words of encouragement.

“Thank you, guys,” you say.

“We can help you come up with a plan,” Kaori says. All of you huddle back up to figure out a plan. You all come up with three separate plans. You need more than one if one or the other doesn’t work. First, plan a: you catch Yamamoto right before you he leaves for lunch. You ask him to go behind the gym so you can give him something. After you’re alone together, you’ll give him his chocolate. Second, plan b: after his team wins a match, you’ll give it to him then. And lastly, plan c: catch him just before dinner and give it to him then. Plan a is the one that was most thought out, but it didn’t matter to you. You’re both nervous and excited about all this.

After finishing breakfast, you rush to the classroom to get the chocolate. You never know when the opportunity will present itself. You put the chocolate inside your backpack to conceal it. You rush to the second gym, where Kiyoko and Yachi are waiting for you. You see that the first practice match is with Date Tech. For you, the game is pretty much a blur. The only thing on your mind was the chocolate and Yamamoto. You could feel your hands sweat and your knees shake. You’re seriously freaking out. By the time you semi-calm yourself down, the match is over. You help Kiyoko and Yachi with the manager things and wait for the game with Seijoh to begin.

You’re sitting on the bench, clutching your backpack to your chest tightly. Kiyoko notices you sitting by yourself and walks over and sits beside you.

“Everything okay?” Kiyoko asks you. You’re staring down at the first floor.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” you say. She sighs and pats your shoulder.

“Are you sure?” she asks you but with more sincerity and concern. You close your eyes.

“Yeah, I’m just nervous,” you say. “This is the first time I’ve ever done something like this.”

“Telling someone you care about them deeply is very difficult and sometimes ends with you getting hurt,” Kiyoko begins. “However, if we don’t tell people we love them, then what’s the point? It’s important to take risks and put yourself out there. After all, that’s part of life, unfortunately.” You both laugh. She’s right, you think. I need to do this.

“Thank you for everything,” you say. She gives you a genuine smile.

“Of course, Y/N,” she says. “I’m always here for you.”

The game against Seijoh starts, and you’re not as worried as before. You feel way less nervous. Maybe, this will turn out okay, you think. You watch the game to push your small nerves down. You’ll worry about them later.

After the game ends, it’s time for lunch. You are eating with the other managers, and they keep you occupied from your fear. So, occupied that you don’t even notice that Yamamoto slips out early from lunch. After realizing he’s gone, you cross off plan a in your mind. I guess it’s good you all came up with more than one plan.

Okay, the next plan. Wait till his team has won a game. However, you can’t find time to go to his matches, and it’s not like Nekoma has a manager that can keep you updated. All that’s left is plan c. You hope it’ll work. Really, really hope.

You leave the last match against Inarizaki early. You wanted to catch him quickly. As you stand outside the dining hall, you can’t help but wonder that this is a bit ridiculous on your part. You’re such a big chicken because you can’t give someone chocolate. Sure, it’s romance chocolate, but it shouldn’t be so hard. Maybe, coming up with all these plans is a bit ludicrous. You should just be able to do it and not have regrets, like what Kiyoko told you earlier.

People start to approach the dining hall, and you feel your heart rattling in your ears. It’s now or never, you think. You see him a bit in the distance with Tanaka and Nishinoya. Maybe I shouldn’t approach him, you think. He’s having fun with his friends.

Just then, you see Kiyoko and Yachi pull Tanaka and Nishinoya away from Yamamoto. You understand their motive, so you approach Yamamoto with your backpack in hand.

“H-hey, Y-Y/N,” Yamamoto says and stiffens his posture. He’s blushing a little.

“Hi Yamamoto,” you say awkwardly. “C-can I talk to you for a sec?” Now or Never.

“O-oh! Sure thing,” Yamamoto says. “Do you wanna maybe go somewhere different? Without all the people?” he asks and scratches the back of his neck. You blush too.

“Y-yeah, that sounds good,” you say. You both walk over to a streetlamp on the pathway to the classroom building. You squeeze the backpack that’s in your hands, wondering how you’re going to do this.

“S-so, what’s up?” he asks you.

“Uh, well, it’s…” you’re trying to find the right words. He waits politely for you. You unzip your backpack and take out the chocolates. You shoot your hand out towards him, hoping he’ll take your chocolate. You close your eyes just in case. He doesn’t take them right away, though. You flutter your eyes open and look up at him. He has been frozen this whole time in a state of shock. He can’t believe that someone as amazing and beautiful as you would be giving him Valentine’s chocolate.

“A-are these f-for me?” he asks you, almost in disbelief. You nod slowly. He takes them carefully. “Th-thank you so much.”

“S-sure thing,” you say. “I-I wanted to give to you because we won’t see each other on Valentine’s Day, so…” you trail off from your embarrassment.

“Wow, thank you,” he says and gives you a soft smile. Your cheeks feel much warmer now. “Wait!” he shouts.

“W-what?” you ask, surprised by his outburst.

“I need to get you something for white day,” he says. “Cause we won’t be with each other then either.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” you say. He looks at you, confused.

“Of course, I do. How else am I gonna return your affection, right?” he says.

“W-what? You mean you…” you don’t know what to say.

“Oh, yeah. I do,” he says. “I mean, you are the prettiest manager or, honestly, the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.” You both blush.

“Th-thank you,” you say.

“Of course,” he says. “Anyway, you can eat dinner while I find something for you.” He starts to turn away from you, but you grab his jacket sleeve.

“Wait!” you shout, stopping him. “Can I come with you?” He gives you a big handsome smile.

“You betcha,” he says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked Yamamoto's chapter! Next is Kenma!!


	15. Kenma Kozume

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You beat everyone in Mario Kart, so Kuroo says you need to challenge Kenma, the champion.

“I mean, it’s not fair we should be able to play too,” Hana says, pouting. The other managers agree. Hana’s right. It’s not fair that the boys are excluding you girls.

“Yeah, if we want to be a part of the Mario Kart competition, we should be a part of it,” Kaori says.

“Right,” Mai says.

“We need to find a way to infiltrate their ranks,” Yukie says.

The girls sit on their cots, figuring out how to intrude on the boys’ Mario Kart playing. Apparently, people brought Nintendo Switches with Mario Kart 8. Someone else put the game on a projector in the Fukurodani room. All the boys came together and decided they’d all play Mario Kart together.

We just need to show the boys why we should play with them, you think.

“How about we challenge them?” Mai says. Everyone is now intrigued. “If at least one of us wins, we can join them.” It’s perfect.

Everyone journeys to the Fukurodani classroom, where all the boys are playing the game. When the you guys walk in, Tendou, Hinata, Terushima, and Koganegawa are in the middle of a game. Tendou’s playing as Waluigi in 3rd place. Hinata’s playing as Toad in 6th place, which suits him. Terushima’s playing as Bowser in 1st place. And Koganegawa’s in last place as Lakitu. They’re playing the Star cup on the final track, that being Mount Wario, of course. You know the track well; the ski jump is your favorite part. Tendou catches up to Terushima and throws a red shell, and takes 1st place.

“Damn it,” Terushima says, putting his controller down.

“I truly do love those red shells,” Tendou says, relishing in his victory.

“Wait, was I supposed to use the power-ups? I don’t remember the button I’m supposed to press,” Koganegawa says.

“I think it’s this one,” Hinata says, hitting the SR button on the top of the controller. Yup, that is the right one, you think.

“Oh, hey, it’s the managers,” Suga says from the other side of the room. You finally turn from the big Mario Kart screen to see the rest of the boys. They have a food table set up and a soda basket with ice. They’ve thought of everything, haven’t they?

“Hey guys!” all the boys say to the managers.

“Hey," Mai says. “How goes the tournament?”

“Not great,” Terushima says, still very upset over his loss.

“Okay, I guess that means Tendou is moving on to the next round,” Kuroo says and draws Tendou’s name to the semifinal round. “So, Tendou, you go up against Tsukishima, me and Bokuto. But before that, Aone, Ushijima, Asahi, and Yamaguchi are up next.” They grab controllers and get ready to play. However, before anyone can do anything, Yukie stands in front of the Mario Kart screen.

“Okay, we want to challenge you boys so we can play too,” Yukie says. The boys all exchange looks with one another.

“Uh, okay,” Daichi says. “You guys can play with us, but you don’t have to challenge us to play or anything.” The managers all look at each other. That was not the reaction you were expecting.

“Yeah, the more, the merrier,” Bokuto says.

After playing for a while, the girls all had their chance—all of them except you. You spend most of your time watching people play. Enjoying the snacks mostly.

“Hey, Y/N, you haven’t played at all today,” Futakuchi says while he sits beside you while you watch Yachi attempt to learn the controls from Kiyoko and Nishinoya.

“Oh, there’s really no need,” you say.

“How come? Are you bad at the game?” Futakuchi asks you smugly. You give him a look. Lev comes over with his mouth full of food.

“If you don’t know how to play, we can show you,” he says. You giggle at Lev.

“No, no, it’s not that. I just…” you trail off.

“Hey! Guys!” Futakuchi yells, and everyone looks at the two of you. Your face becomes red from the embarrassment. “Y/N says she’ll play next round.”

“What are you doing?” you say to him, and he gives you a smirk.

“I want to see how good you are,” he says.

“Sure, Y/N, come on up,” Kuroo says as you get up and walk to him. He hands you a controller and ushers you to sit in front of the screen. “Who wants to play with her?”

“Me, Me, Me, Me!” Bokuto shouts. He grabs a controller and plops himself right beside you. “I can’t wait to play with you, Y/N.”

“Thank you, Bokuto,” you say.

“I’ll play,” Kunimi says. He sits with a controller next to Bokuto.

“Count me in too,” Atsumu says and sits beside you on your left. Okay, this could be fun, you think.

You choose your standard cart and your lucky character, Link. Bokuto chooses Wario, Kunimi chooses a white Shy Guy, and Atsumu chooses Koopa Troopa.

“Which track do you want to do?” Kunimi asks you. You think for a while. The Mushroom Cup is fun, especially Sweet Sweet Cayon, but that’s too easy. The Flower Cup is fun with Twisted Mansion and Shy Guy Falls. The Star Cup has Mount Wario. The Special Cup has Rainbow Road and Bowser’s Castle. The Shell Cup has Moo Moo Meadows, but it does have Toad’s Turnpike, and you’re not too good at that one. The Banana Cup has the Royal Raceway, which is fun. Oh, wait, I know which one is the best, you think.

“How about the Crossing Cup?” you ask. The three of them agree, and the game starts. You’re not one to really show off, but you’re excited to show them what you’ve got. The first track, Baby Park, this’ll be easy peasy. You start up your Kart and rev up and do a rock start. You start off excellent and pass Atsumu easily. You drift your cart when turning and get a triple green shell from the item box. Perfect, you think. You bump into Bokuto with the shells and knock his Wario off his feet.

“G-gah, what the heck, Y/N?” Bokuto asks.

“Sorry, Bokuto,” you say. You use your last green shell as a deflector from incoming attacks from behind. Bokuto tries to hit you with a red shell, but your green shell stops it. The person left to pass is Kunimi. You hit another Item Box and get a red shell. Perfect. You get right behind him and throw the shell at his Shy Guy. After getting hit, he becomes pretty upset and serious.

After the seven laps, you come in first place. All three of the boys are super surprised. Bokuto pauses the next track before you guys can continue.

“What are you doing, Bokuto?” you ask.

“Oh, nothing. We’ll be back in a sec,” Bokuto says.

“We?” you say quietly. All three of the boys get up. You notice them passing their controllers to other people. Bokuto hands his Wario to Kuroo. Kunimi gives his Shy Guy to Tsukishima. Atsumu hands his Koopa Troopa to Osamu. “What’s going on?”

“Bokuto thinks we’ll be a better match for you,” Kuroo says, sitting down.

“Oh…” you say, a bit confused. “Okay.”

The next track starts up, and it’s Cheese Land. You can do your jump boosts on this one. Everyone starts off with a rock start, and all of you are vying for first place. You’re in third, Tsukishima is second, Kuroo’s in first, and Osamu’s in fourth. You hit the Item Box and get a green shell and banana peel. You use the green shell on Tsukishima and hit him square in the back. You hear him grunt in frustration beside you. You use the banana peel as a deflector and keep it there for protection. You come up behind Kuroo, and he’s got a banana peel too. He places it down, and you nearly get caught by it. Luckily, you swerve just before it hits you. You and Kuroo both drift on a turn, and suddenly you get the sudden fast flash and pass him. You finish the first lap in first. Only two left. You notice a blue shell is coming up from the lower ranks. You need to get rid of it fast. The Item Box doesn’t give you the super horn to destroy the blue shell. You only have one other option. You press the B button and slow way down, and begin going backwards. Kuroo passes you because of this.

“Y/N, what are you doing?” he asks when he passes you.

“You’ll see,” you say. The blue shell passes you and hits Kuroo’s cart. You swiftly pass him again and take the second lap. The last lap is a complete breeze, and you win in a landslide. The next race at the Wild Woods, and you win. And the last race at the Animal Crossing track, you come in first place again. Everyone is completely shocked. Everyone. You don’t really understand it. Kuroo turns to you after losing and getting second place.

“How are you so good?” he asks you.

“Oh, well…I practice a lot at home,” you admit. You love the game.

“Well, there’s only one person I know that can really challenge you,” Kuroo says.

“Who?” you ask. He gives you a smirk and turns to the rest of the group.

“Everyone! Since Y/N is the champ, we will have her go up against the other champion tomorrow morning before breakfast,” he says. Everyone cheers. Who could possibly be the “other champion?”

After your fantastic win, everyone had to go to bed. As you’re walking back to the managers’ room, you notice the door to Nekoma’s room is open. You peek and see Kenma sitting on his cot. He’s playing his Switch. Now that you think about it, you didn’t see Kenma at the Mario Kart tournament.

“Kozume?” you ask with your head in the doorway. He looks up from his game to see you standing there. He blushes and goes back to his game.

“H-hey, Y/N,” he says. You come into the room fully now. He motions with his eyes for you to sit with him. You do so. You sit across from him and watch him play his game.

“Whatcha playin’?” you ask him. He glances up at you and goes back to the game again.

“Super Smash Bros.,” he says. “I would rather play Animal Crossing, but my parents took it from me because I play it too much.” You laugh a bit, and he blushes again.

“Oh, no, I’m just laughing because I love Super Smash Bros., and I’ve always wanted to play Animal Crossing. I haven’t gotten it yet, though,” you say, shrugging.

“It’s a really fun game,” Kenma says. “But I understand sometimes Switch games can be expensive.”

“Yeah, they are,” you say.

“When you do finally get it…we should play together sometime,” he says. “You know, like go to each other’s islands.” You perk up.

“Yeah, I’d love that,” you say. “So, who do you usually play as in Super Smash?”

“It depends, but mostly Lucina and Joker,” he says.

“Oh, cool, I like playing as Lucina too,” you say.

“Do you wanna do a two-player game?” he asks you.

“Really?” you ask. He looks away and blushes, and takes the controllers off the sides. He hands one of them to you. You take it and scooch beside him. He hides his blushing face with his jacket and hair. You don’t notice, though, and choose your character. He chooses his character, and you both begin to play. He beats you pretty quickly. It’s actually quite refreshing having someone finally beat you. “Wow, you’re so good.”

“Oh, uh, thanks,” he mumbles.

“Man, I wish I was as good as you,” you say. His face gets even redder.

“I just have a lot of time to practice,” Kenma says.

“Wow, you’re lucky,” you say, looking at him. He looks back at you. The two of you blush and look back at the game.

“Oi! Kenma?” you hear Kuroo’s voice outside the doorway. He walks in to find you and Kenma sitting together. “Oh, I see I might be interrupting something,” he says, giving you both a smirk. The both of you blush. You give Kenma his controller and stand up.

“Uh, I should go,” you say and run to the managers’ room. When you get there, everyone’s already settled into their cots. Mai sits up when she sees you.

“Hey, Y/N, where have you been?” Mai asks.

“I was just playing a Switch game with Kozume, you know, Nekoma’s setter,” you say while blushing.

“Oh? Really?” Yukie perks up from her cot now. “Is that where you were?”

“Y-yeah,” you say.

“Okaaaaaaayy,” Yukie says. “I bet you had fun.” You blush even more.

“Come on; it’s time for bed, everyone,” Kiyoko says. Yukie groans and you climb into your cot. Kiyoko turns off the light, and you lay there. You’d think you would be thinking about tomorrow, but instead, you’re thinking about how much fun you had with Kenma. You close your eyes and go to sleep.

You wake up in the middle of the night—unfortunately, a common occurrence. You notice everyone is fast asleep. You didn’t even bother checking the time. You didn’t want to be disappointed. You sit up in your cot. What should you do now? You sit there for what seems like forever. All you can think about is… You feel your cheeks heat up again. You can’t stop thinking about Nekoma’s setter. You get up from your cot and go to the door. You open it and step out into the hallway. You notice coming from the door at the end of the hallway that there’s some light.

You walk towards the light and see on the door has kanji written on it. “Nekoma.” You didn’t want to barge in. So, you knock instead. The light shuts off, and you think that whatever it was is gone now. Just then, Kenma slides the door open. The two of you stare at one another for a bit.

“K-Kozume,” you blurt.

“Y-Y/N,” he says at the same time as you. You both blush.

“W-what are you doing up?” you ask him. He looks behind and then back to you.

“I-I’m playing a game,” he murmurs.

“This late?” you ask. He looks at you, confused.

“Late? It’s around 4:45 in the morning,” Kenma says.

“It is?” you say, surprised.

“Yeah, so why are you up?” he asks you. He seems like he’s concerned.

“I just kinda woke up,” you say.

“Oh, I see,” he says. “Do you wanna play the Switch? Since you’re up?” he asks. He looks away from you. “Y-you don’t have to, though.”

“Okay,” you say. “I’d love to.”

“Cool, wait here,” he says and goes back inside the Nekoma room. He grabs his Switch and comes back to you. “Here, we can sit in the hallway.” He closes the door, and you both sit beside the door leaning on the wall. You sit beside Kenma. He’s playing Pokémon Sword.

“Who’s your starter?” you ask.

“Sobble,” he says. You can feel yourself getting a bit tired, but you didn’t want to fall asleep. You couldn’t. You lay your head on his shoulder. He stiffens a bit but softens after hearing you yawn.

“That’s cool,” you say lazily.

“Are you getting tired? If you are, you can go to bed,” Kenma says. You yawn again.

“No, no. I’m not tired at all,” you say. He puts his Switch down and turns to you. You raise your head to meet his concerned eyes.

“It’s okay, really, you’ll need your rest for tomorrow,” he says. You give him a small smile.

“Thank you, Kozume,” you say.

“K-Kenma,” he says quietly. “Y-you can call me Kenma.”

“Really? Are you sure?” you ask. He nods while looking away from you.

“Anyway, I’ll walk you back to the managers’ room,” he says.

“But it’s just right over there,” you say, gesturing to the door.

“I-I know I just want to. I-I guess,” Kenma says. You blush.

“O-okay,” you say. You both get up and walk to the managers’ door. “Hey, K-Kenma, can I talk to you about something real quick?”

“S-sure,” he says.

“Tomorrow, I have to go against the ‘Mario Kart Champ,’ and I’m kinda nervous…do you have any advice for me? You know, since you’re an expert video game player,” you say. He blushes and looks down at his feet.

“Uh…well… I’m sure you’ll do great,” he says. Now you blush.

“Thank you, Kenma,” you say.

“Sure thing, Y/N,” he says. You aren’t sure why you did what you did next. You’re not sure whether it was because you were feeling impulsive or tired. It was probably both. But you grabbed Kenma’s hand and squeezed only for a second. You both stared at each other in complete shock after you did so. You run into the managers’ room, but you slide the door just a bit.

“I’m sorry for doing that,” you say. He slides the door open fully.

“D-don’t worry about it,” he says. Your whole face gets all red. “A-anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Y-yeah,” you say. He walks back to the Nekoma room, and you shut your door, and you return your cot. You can’t fall asleep even after all that.

When everyone starts to wake up, you begin to panic. As everyone’s getting ready for the day, the girls all notice your anxiety.

“Woah, you okay?” Yukie asks you.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” you say.

“You don’t have to play if you don’t wanna,” Kaori says.

“No, no. I’m okay, really,” you say. “I’m excited,” you say, you know, like a liar.

“Okay…but if you wanna back out, we totally understand,” Hana says.

“Thank you, guys,” you say.

Before you know it, you’re back at the Fukurodani’s room and ready to “play the champ.” You’re waiting outside the door with the other managers while Yukie knocks on the door. It seems most of the boys are already inside the room when Kuroo opens it.

“Hey, ladies, we’ve already got the game set up,” Kuroo says as you guys file in. You turn to Kuroo before you enter the room.

“So, who am I going up against?” you ask him. Kuroo gives you a smirk.

“I’m surprised you don’t know,” he says. He points to the champ, and it’s Kenma. Kuroo leads you next to Kenma and hands you a controller. You turn to Kenma.

“I didn’t realize you were ‘the champ,’” you say playfully.

“Oh, yeah,” he says.

“Why didn’t you tell me last night?” you ask him. He looks down at the controller.

“I-I thought you’d be mad,” he says quietly. You give him a confused look.

“Mad?” you question. “I’m not mad at all. I’m actually really excited to play against you.” He blushes while you give him a big smile.

The two of pick your characters. You go with Link, again. You know you need your lucky character for this. And Kenma picks Yoshi. You both choose bikes because you both know that they’re the best.

“Okay, you guys will do one race,” Kuroo explains.

“Just one?” you ask.

“Yup and the track will be the hardest in the game,” Kuroo says.

“The hardest?” you ask again. Kuroo hums in response.

“It’s Neo Bowser City on 200cc,” Kuroo says. Inuoka butts in.

“Woah, 200cc? We’ve been doing it on 100cc,” Inuoka says, and everyone else agrees. Kuroo gives him a smirk.

“We gotta make it a challenge for them,” he says and goes back to you. “Anyway, the only two players will be you two and no CPUs.” That makes you nervous. Just going against Kenma is scary enough, but without CPUs? The CPUs are kind of comforting in a way.

“O-okay,” you say nervously.

Kenma picks the one track, and the two of you are brought to Bowser City. You’re excited and nervous to be playing against Kenma. The countdown begins, and you press the A button on the 2-second mark to get a rocket start. Kenma does the same, and the countdown ends, and you both shoot off. First is the hard turn with the jump boost and tunnel. You always overshoot the turn and bump into the wall. You do so again this time, and Kenma passes you, gaining a lead. If only you can get a red shell when you get to the item box. You both jump into the first tunnel, and he’s still ahead of you. You get to the futuristic see-through tunnel and get to the first item box. You get a green shell. Kenma gets a banana peel. You have only one shot to use the green shell. You can’t afford to miss. After going through the see-through tunnel, you shoot off the green shell and miss Kenma completely. The green shell falls off of the side and into oblivion. Kenma drops his banana peel, but you swerve to miss it. Next are the turns that have no walls, so you can easily fall off. Both you and Kenma take the turns carefully as not to fall. He’s still ahead of you even after all that. Another tunnel is next with more item boxes. You hit the item box after Kenma and get a red shell. He receives a banana peel. As you throw your red shell at him, he deflects it with the banana peel. Next is only one big turn left before the flight pad. He stays in front of you as you hit the flight pad and fly over the finish line. You take this opportunity to notice the cheers from the peanut gallery. You just notice that they’re cheering. Mostly for you, actually. You have a newfound fire because of it.

Second race: Kenma’s Yoshi is in front with you close on his tail. The first turn still gets you, but this time Kenma has trouble with it too. He’s still first, but you’re right behind him. You both nail the jump and go into the tunnel again. You finally get to the item boxes, and you get a red shell again. Kenma gets a green one. Kenma places it behind him for protection. You can’t hit him with it like this. The two of you continue the whole race like that with you right behind him with your red shell and him with his green shell. 

Last Lap: He finally gets rid of his green shell after passing the start. You hit him with your red shell and pass him. He’s not far behind you. The first turn you take harshly but still manage to stay ahead of Kenma. The first item box, and you get a coin. Shit, you think. You collect the token. You see that Kenma got a banana peel. Lucky for you. Next is the no-wall turn. Just like before, you and Kenma both take it very slowly. You go through the next tunnel and item box. You get a banana peel, and Kenma gets a green shell and red shell. You need to be very careful. Kenma throws the green shell but misses you just barely. You sigh in relief as the last big turn comes. You keep your banana peel behind you the whole way. You both reach the flight pad and fly to the finish line. You both sigh heavily after the screen flashes the word “Finish!” and your characters both react to the results. Yours is disappointed, and Kenma’s is excited. You turn to Kenma and ignore the cheers and other noises from the peanut gallery.

“You played a perfect game. You’re an expert,” you say, holding your out for a “good game” shake. He looks down at your hand then back at you. He seems nervous and deadpan at the same time. You think back to last night, and that may be you embarrassed him. He shakes your hand, though.

“You too. You’re really good, too,” he says simply. Kuroo comes between the two of you.

“Good job to the both of you,” he says and then turns to the group. “All right, let’s have some breakfast.” Everyone agrees and files out of the room. You’re about to join them, but Kenma stops you.

“Hey, Y/N, wait,” he says. You sit back down next to him.

“Yes?” you ask.

“Uh, do you wanna maybe play games together again?” he asks you. You can tell he’s blushing a bit, and you mirror his redness. “But…without all these people here.” You give him a small smile.

“I’d love to Kenma,” you say.

“We could go to a nearby arcade. If you want to?” he asks. Your smile grows a bit.

“Yeah, how about later today?” you ask.

“O-okay,” he says. “I-it’s a date then.” You both blush even more.

“Y-yeah,” you affirm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Kenma's chapter!! Next is Inuoka!!


	16. Sou Inuoka

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader catches Inuoka playing volleyball with the neighborhood kids, and he walks back with her to Seijoh.

The reason you went out was because you were craving some good convenience store stuff. You went out as soon as the last practice game ended, so it was a little before sunset. On your way back from the convenience store, you did not expect to see Inuoka at the park playing volleyball with the neighborhood kids. He didn’t notice you passing by and stopping at first, but after he scored a point for his team, he saw you. You walk over to him after he noticed you. He also paces over to see what’s going on. You both approach each other half-way.

“H-hey Y/N, I didn’t think I’d see you,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. You laugh.

“Yeah, I guess the same goes for you,” you say, and he laughs. “What’re you doing?” He looks at the kids.

“Just playing some volleyball,” he says and turns back to you. “I was out for a walk when I noticed them playing, and I decided to join them.” You look past him to the group of about a dozen kids.

“Oh, that sounds like fun,” you say.

“Yeah, it is,” he says, and there’s a bit of silence between the two of you. “So, what’re you up to?” You raise your plastic bag full of food and drinks.

“Just getting some fuel,” you say, then you put your hands in front of your face and wave them. “I mean, not to say the dining hall food is bad or anything, I just wanted something else to eat.”

“Hey, I totally understand,” he says. “If you want, I can walk back with you after this game.” He gives you a big smile, and you feel your cheeks heat up.

“S-sure sounds good,” you say.

“Awesome,” he affirms. He leads you to the park he came from and to a bench outside the volleyball court. “Don’t worry, this’ll be the last game, I promise.” He holds out his pinkie for a pinkie promise. You raise your pinkie to his and lock them together for a split second.

“O-okay, I mean, I trust you,” you say quietly. He gives you another big smile.

“Well, I’m glad to know that,” he says. He goes back to the kids and plays another game with them as you wait. You hardly really get to watch him play ever since Lev took over his middle blocking position. Even if he’s playing against kids, you can still tell that he’s an excellent player. You remember back to the first practice game against Nekoma. He was able to keep up with Hinata’s fast attack. You feel a bit bad; he’s got some great skill when it comes to volleyball.

Inuoka, while playing with the kids, only stayed in the back row; he never moved to the front. You assume he did so to make it fair. He also moved teams whenever someone scored. He would move to the side that didn’t win a point. You can tell that he’s in his element with the kids. It’s charming. You notice that the team Inuoka is currently on; the setter did a miss toss. Inuoka noticed and had no choice but to spike the ball for a back attack. He spikes the ball, and it’s out. When he comes down from the spike, he shrugs.

“I’m so sorry, you guys. I thought I had it in the bag,” he says. The kids on his team go up to him.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Inuoka, sir,” one kid says.

“Yeah, it’s okay,” another says.

“You tried your very best,” another kid says.

“Thank you, guys,” Inuoka says. “But the other team was at set point, so we gotta stop now.”

“Awwww,” all the kids groan.

“I know, I know,” he says, coxing them. “But I’ll be back to play tomorrow, okay?”

“Yay!” the kids cheer.

“Now, let’s shake hands for a good game,” he says, and the kids shake hands with one another. “Alright, goodnight. You guys make sure to get home.”

“Yes, Mr. Inuoka, sir,” a kid says. Inuoka walks back over to you as you stand ready to go.

“Bye, Mr. Inuoka,” a kid says, passing him.

“Bye, Minato,” he says, waving to the passing kid. Some more kids walk past you both, and he goodbyes them all. One last kid runs past you both.

“Bye, Mr. Inuoka, bye Mr. Inuoka’s girlfriend,” the kid says. You both blush at his comment. Before Inuoka can say anything to the kid, he’s gone. You and Inuoka don’t talk for a bit before he speaks up. He gives you a nervous laugh.

“Sorry about that,” he says.

“I-it’s okay,” you say.

“A-anyway, are you ready to head back?” he asks you. You nod in response. “Cool.” The two of you begin walking back to Seijoh, leaving the park. Before exiting the park, you take another look at the volleyball court. You look back at him.

“So, you play volleyball with the neighborhood kids?” you ask. He looks nervous again.

“Yeah. They needed another player, so I just kinda joined in,” he says. “I’m thankful that they’d let me play.”

“Huh?” you ask; that last part was the part that confused you. Why wouldn’t they let you play?

“A-anyway what did you get for ‘fuel?’” he asks, pointing to the plastic bag in your hand. You get embarrassed.

“Just some stuff, you know,” you say. He now gives you a confused look.

“Right, but what kind of stuff?” he questions.

“W-well, just some beverages, and snacks,” you say.

“Oh, okay, that sounds really good,” he says. “I’m kinda jealous.” You giggle at that. You point behind you both.

“We can get some stuff if you want. The place I got my snacks is not far from here,” you say. He gets all giddy.

“Really? Yeah, I’d love that. I’m actually kinda hungry,” he says. You both turn around and walk down the convenience store you were in earlier. He runs around the store, trying to find something to get. You’re following him the best you can. He picks up some water and soda, seemingly trying to decide between the two. “What do you think I should get?” He turns to you with the two bottles in his hands. You think for a minute.

“Question is, would you rather treat yourself or get water?” you ask. He laughs and puts the water back.

“I think I can afford to treat myself,” he says. He goes up to the candy aisle and has even more trouble. He settles on some Pocky, though. He purchases his things, and the two of you exit the store. He notices that there’s a bit of a curb near the store. “Do you wanna sit down and eat?” he asks you. You shrug.

“Sure, we don’t have to be back yet, so I think it’ll be alright,” you say.

“Yes, you’ll have to keep track of time,” he says. You give him a perplexed look.

“Why’s that?” you ask as he sits down on the curb, and you join him.

“Because you’re the older one of the two of us,” he says innocently. You laugh.

“I guess because I’m a second year and you’re a first year,” you say. He nods, opening his soda with a tsk.

“Exactly,” he confirms. You reach into your bag for some juice and some candy.

“So, you’ll be back to the court with the kids tomorrow, huh?” you ask a bit playfully.

“Yeah,” he says. “I’m really excited, actually.”

“I’m glad,” you say and give him a small smile. He blushes. “I have a question for you.”

“Oh, what is it?” he asks.

“You said earlier that you were happy they let you play. Why is that?” you ask him. His face drops a bit.

“Well, it’s been kinda tough ever since Lev became the middle blocker,” he says, and he seems dejected. “I know he’s really good, but it still kinda hurt. I’ve tried to stay positive, but I’ve only really played in a few practice matches, and that’s about it.”

“Inuoka, I’m so sorry that’s—” he cuts you off.

“But it’s okay, I’ll be okay,” he says, trying to sound upbeat again. You scooch closer to him and pat his shoulder.

“Hey, it’s okay to be sad about it. I’m not really a sporty person, and I can’t really relate to your situation, but…I know that you’re great at volleyball,” you say, trying to cheer him up. He looks at you with hope.

“You really think so?” he asks you. You nod.

“Yeah, I saw you playing, and you are really good at volleyball. I think it’s unfair that coach Nekomata doesn’t put in the games,” you say. He gives you a small smile.

“Thank you, Y/N,” he says. “That really means a lot.” You blush at the last part.

“O-of course,” you stutter. You both go back to your snacks. Inuoka pulls out some Pocky from its box.

“Kuroo told me about this game you can play with Pocky,” Inuoka says suddenly. Your face heats up. You know precisely what kind of game he’s talking about.

“Oh? Really?” you ask, trying to sound innocent.

“Yeah, that’s weird though, what kind of game do you play with Pocky?” he asks, inspecting the stick covered in chocolate.

“Uh. Beats me,” you say. He continues inspecting it.

“Maybe you can build stuff with the Pocky, and that’s the game,” he says. “Though, I think that’d be pretty difficult.”

“Yeah, most likely,” you say.

“Well, I can just ask Kuroo about sometime later,” he says and eats the piece. You sigh in relief. You really didn’t want to explain the “Pocky game” to him.

“Yeah, maybe he’ll say what it is,” you say, opening your candy finally.

“Hey, Y/N?” he asks you while you’re busy with your candy.

“Yeah?” you respond.

“How are you doing?” he asks you. You look at him kind of surprised.

“I’m doing alright,” you say. He gives you a smile.

“Cool. I just wanted to ask because, you know, you helped me, and I figured if you were having troubles, I could try to help you,” he says.

“Oh, that’s so kind of you, but I think I’m doing okay,” you say. “I’m honestly a little worried about you.”

“Don’t be. I’ll be okay, especially because you helped me out,” he says. You aren’t sure how to react to that.

“Thank you,” you say.

“Of course,” he says. The two of you continue eating your candy and drinking your beverages. You glance at him every once in a while, but if he’s about to catch you, you swiftly turn your eyes away from him. You didn’t know, but he’s practically doing the same thing. After your both done, you stand and throw away your trash. Now, it’s time to head back to Seijoh, unfortunately.

“I had fun hanging out with you,” you say as you reach the school gate.

“I did too,” he says and then looks nervous. “We should hang out again sometime.”

“Yeah, we should,” you say.

“Hey!” he shouts, startling you. “Why don’t you come with me back to the park tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I’d love to,” you say.

“Maybe we could go early, and I could give you some pointers on volleyball…if you want?” he scratches the back of his nervously.

“You can teach me how to be an expert mid-blocker like yourself,” you say. He gives you a nervous laugh.

“Th-thank you,” he says.

“We can meet at the gate right after dinner,” you gesture to the gate you’re next to.

“Great, I can’t wait to show you the ropes and have you meet the kids. They’re all really cool,” he says.

“Yeah, just one more thing,” you raise your hand up.

“What’s that?” he asks.

“We gotta pinkie promise that we’ll both be here,” you say giving him your pinkie. He curls his pinkie around yours.

“It’s a promise,” Inuoka says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Inuoka's chapter!! Next is Lev!!


	17. Lev Haiba

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader and Lev have a movie night.

One of your favorite activities to do during your free time is to watch movies. Especially movie musicals. Your favorite has to be Singin’ In The Rain; nothing beats that one. It’s iconic. So, you have time a little before lunch to watch a bit of it. You’ve seen it a million times, but it’s just so amazing. You are on the part where the cast sings the “Good Morning” song. In your opinion the second-best song. You’re sitting on your cot in the managers’ room watching it. You aren’t wearing your headphones because no one else is in the room, so you figure you won’t distract anybody.

“Woah are you watching Singin’ In The Rain?” a voice says behind you. The voice startles you, and you jump a bit in your sitting position. You turn your head to see just…legs. So, you crane your head up to see…Lev. “I love that movie.” He gives you a big smile and plops down beside you. You pause the movie as he scooches next to you.

“Uh, hey,” you say, confused a bit. He laughs.

“Hey, sorry, I was passing by and saw you watching something. I wanted to see what it was, and it turns out it’s one of my favorite movies,” he says.

“Oh, I see. Well, this is one of my favorite’s too,” you say. He leans closer to you.

“Really? You’ve got good taste,” he says. You blush.

“Thanks. I could say the same to you too,” you say.

“You bet you can,” he says. “So, can I watch it with you?”

“Of course,” you say happily. It’s not every day you find someone who likes movie musicals as much as you do. You press the spacebar on your laptop to play the movie again. The two of you sit together watching the movie. After the song ends, you turn to him and pause the film.

“Huh?” he says.

“Sorry, but I think we should get something to eat,” you say. You close your laptop and start to get up from your seat. He grumbles a bit and hops up quickly. He reaches his hand out to you to help you up. You blush before taking it, and he helps you up. He gasps which surprises you a bit.

“Maybe we can grab some lunch and then come back,” he says. “We can watch some more before the matches start.”

“O-okay,” you say, and as soon as you agree, he grabs your hand, and you both rush to the dining hall to get some lunch. When you enter, he lets go of your hand, and he runs off to get his food and you to get yours. After grabbing a sandwich and water, you see him at the front door waving to you. You rush back over to him, and you both go back to your movie watching.

“Aw man, I’m so excited I rushed to get as many foods as I possibly could,” he says as you both sit down in front of your computer.

“Me too,” you say, opening up your laptop.

“It’s funny Yaku saw me and tried to get me to practice with him right before the matches start,” Lev says, eating his yakisoba.

“Oh, really?” you ask, nervous as to what happened.

“Yeah, so I said I’d…” he trails off because he starts to laugh. “I’d meet him…him at the gym. I bet he’s…heh…waiting for me.”

“Y-you left him waiting?” you ask with your eyes widening. He laughs some more and nods.

“He’s gonna kill, but it’s so worth it,” he says. He points to your laptop while eating his food. “Anyway, let’s not worry about now. Let’s get back to the movie. My favorite song is about to come up.” You stop before playing the movie to look at him.

“Wait, are talking about the title song—” you both say the song at the same time.

“Singin’ in the Rain?” you both say.

“You betcha I am,” he says with a giant smile.

“That song is my favorite too,” you admit. He looks at you with kind shock.

“For real?” he says. “Man, your taste just keeps getting better and better.” He laughs, and you blush again.

“Yeah, you too,” you say and turn back to your screen and unpause the movie. You both sit in anticipation, waiting for the song to come on. It’s right after the “Good Morning” song, so it’s not that long of a wait. When the song finally comes on, the two of you dance in your seated positions and even sing along.

“I’m laughing at clouds, so dark up above. The suns in my heart I’m ready for love,” Lev sings, and you join him quietly. You don’t want to sing too loudly. You get kind of embarrassed. Lev does not seem to care. He belts out the whole song. After, the two of you gobble your lunches and scurry to the gyms for the practice matches. He catches you before you go into Gym #2.

“Hey, we should watch again after the matches are over,” he says.

“S-sure,” you say.

“Awesome, I can come here after I’m done, okay?” he says.

“Yeah, okay, but where should we go to watch it?” you ask. You don’t want to distract or annoy anyone. He goes into a thinking pose.

“That’s a good point. I guess we can go to the library?” he says. “It doesn’t close till around 8:30, so we should be okay.” You nod.

“Good idea. Well, I’ll be waiting after you’re done, kay?” you say. He nods vigorously.

“Kay,” he sings. You rush into the gym, and he goes to the gym next door for his practice match. You approach Kiyoko and Yachi, who are already sitting on the bench.

“Hey guys,” you greet them. Kiyoko squints at you. Uh, oh, I’m in trouble, you think.

“Where’ve you been this whole time?” she asks you. You scratch the back of your neck.

“Uh, just out,” you lie.

“Uh-huh, then how come I saw you and Lev run around getting food in the cafeteria then leaving together?” Kiyoko asks you. You can’t lie to Kiyoko.

“Okay,” you say and plop down between them on the bench. “We were watching a movie on my laptop in the managers’ room.” Yachi gives you a giddy smile.

“Really? You guys must’ve had fun,” she says. You look away from her, embarrassed.

“Yeah, we did,” you say.

“Well, that’s good. I was just a bit worried, is all,” Kiyoko says. You look at her all confused.

“Worried?” you ask.

“Yeah, you were worried?” Yachi asks, popping her head beside yours.

“A bit. It’s not that important besides we have a practice match to watch,” Kiyoko points to the courts where the boys are about to play Date Tech.

“Okay,” you and Yachi both say. The match is intense because Date Tech’s team has really gotten a lot better. The Iron Wall is still as scary as ever, blocking Tanaka’s, Daichi’s, Hinata’s, and Asahi’s spikes. You’re not playing, but even watching scares you a bit. Koganegawa, their new setter, has really improved. Everyone on their team is really good. Karasuno barely takes the first set. The second set is taken by Date Tech. They end up playing five sets. Karasuno loses, but you don’t blame them because everyone ended up being pretty exhausted. The next match is against Seijoh. Their playing at their best as well as your own team too. Making the game last pretty long. All you could think about, though, is Lev and the plans you made. You can’t help the excitement bubbling inside you.

“What’s got you all excited, Y/N?” Kiyoko asks you as she watches your red face while sitting on the bench during the game with Seijoh. You perk to attention when you hear her voice.

“Uh, nothing,” you say. She squints her eyes at you like before. “Really, it’s nothing.”

“Alright, then,” she says, still eyeing you a bit. You sit there sweating a bit from her leering stare. The game drags on a bit, and even after the Seijoh game, there’s still another game. The last match is with Inarizaki. They’re the strongest opponent for your team. With both going to Nationals and their team being quite famous, it’s pretty scary.

“Hey, Y/N, can you fill some water bottles while the boys set up and get ready?” Kiyoko asks you holding the bottles ready to hand them off.

“Sure thing,” you say. “You can count on me.” You grab the water bottles from her and start your journey to the water fountain. The water fountain is past Gym #2 and Gym #1. You remember that Lev is in Gym #1, so you’ll pass by. Maybe you might even see him. You cross the threshold of the gym you were in and come up to Gym #1. You glance inside and see Nekoma playing Shiratorizawa. You see Lev’s in the front row blocking a spike from Goshiki. Successfully kill blocking it. The coaches call a mandatory time-out after Lev’s fantastic block. You assume they’re taking a small break because the players seem to talk amongst themselves rather than receive pointers from the coaches. You still look in the doorway when Kenma and Kuroo notice you standing there.

“Hey, Y/N, why are you just standing there?” Kuroo calls out to you. Your cheeks get warm when everyone looks at you. Lev gives you a big smile and waves in your direction, which calms you. He runs over to the threshold to greet you.

“Hey, Lev,” you say.

“Hey, Y/N. Oh!” he shouts a bit, making you jump.

“What?” you ask.

“I just remembered what are we gonna do about dinner, you know, for later?” he asks you.

“Oh, yeah, I guess we forgot,” you say.

“Yeah, so what do you wanna do?” he asks. You think for a minute.

“Do you want to just order some food? Or maybe pick it up?” you say.

“That’s a great idea. What kind of food should we get?” he asks, leaning on the doorway.

“I don’t really care,” you say, struggling to keep the water bottles off the ground.

“Do you want some help with that?” he points to the water in your hands. You scoff it off.

“Nah, I’m okay. You probably have to get back to the match anyway,” you say.

“Well, not just yet, come on, I’ll walk you to your destination,” he grabs the water bottles from you, and he steps outside.

“Uh, oh, okay,” you say. He gestures for you to lead the way. You both walk towards the water fountain. When you both get there, you begin filling up the bottles.

“I can’t wait till later. You know, if you want, I can handle the food situation,” he says, filling up some water.

“Oh, okay, and I can set up the library for us,” you say. He gives you his signature smile.

“Awesome,” he says, putting the water back in the case. You grab the case this time. “I can carry it back for you.”

“That’s okay. Thank you for all your help. You probably need to get back to it though,” you give him a small smile. He gets a bit pouty.

“Awww, okay, but I’ll pick us up some food after my match, okay?” he says.

“Sure, and I’ll make the setup,” you promise.

“Great. Well, we should hurry back,” he begins to turn to the path to the gyms. You follow him and wave goodbye when he reaches the first gym. You get to gym #2, and the match with Inarizaki has already started. Oh, dear, I was a little late, you think. You see Kiyoko and Yachi on the bench with Take and Ukai. You put the water bottles in their designated area and join them on the bench.

“Oh, Y/N, there you are,” Kiyoko says as you sit down.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I got caught up, is all,” you trying to make some excuse.

“You got caught up by what?” Yachi asks.

“The…uh…case! Yeah, the case. It’s just so heavy,” you lie. Kiyoko gives you a sympathetic pat on your shoulder.

“I’m sorry, I wish you would’ve told me. I would’ve helped you,” she says. You wave it off.

“Don’t worry about it. I completed the mission, so it’s all good,” you say.

“Well, next time we’ll help,” Yachi perks up. Kiyoko nods in agreement.

“S-sure,” you say. You’re just happy they weren’t upset with you. The game goes on, and you’re festering in your excitement. What should you bring to the library? Should you set up like a blanket fort? That might take a bit of time. You should try to get a projector working and play the movie on a bigger screen. All this planning and somewhat worry of said planning makes the first set fly by. You help rev the guys up during the break between sets. The score in the first set was 18-25, with Karasuno losing. The next set starts, and Karasuno’s still in a bit of a rut against the Miyas, Ojiro, and Suna’s blocks. Dang, they’re pretty good, you catch yourself thinking—the second set, Karasuno loses again. You try to comfort the boys, but they seem kind of sad about it. Coach is way better at pep talk than you’ll ever be, so you leave it mostly to him. After your dismissed, you rush over to the classrooms while everyone goes to dinner. You grab everything you can carry—your laptop, pillows, and blankets. You waited for everyone to be in the cafeteria so they wouldn’t see you carrying all that stuff. The last thing you need is their 20 questions.

Luckily, you get to the library before Lev gets there. You decide to go into the Literature Clubroom. You place your laptop on a table and throw the blankets and pillows down. You push back everything that’s on the floor to the walls for more room. You flatten out the blanket on the floor and put the pillows on. You sort of pile the pillows together to lean on. You turn on the projector with a small remote you found on the table and connect your laptop to it. The setup is perfect. Now, all there’s left to do is wait. After about 20 minutes, Lev walks through the door with a box of pizza.

“Hey,” he grins and then looks at your work. “Woah, this place looks awesome.” He places the pizza box in front of you, and he takes a seat next to you.

“I wanted to ask. Do you want to just start the movie over?” you ask, going to your laptop about to press the spacebar.

“Yeah, that’s a great idea,” he says, and you nod and rewind the movie to the beginning. “Oh, we should probably turn the lights off.” You blush.

“Huh?” you say.

“Well, we need to be immersed,” he says smoothly. You laugh, and he gets up to the light switch and switches it off. The darkness envelops him, and you can barely see where he’s standing. Before you know it, he’s back to your side. “Okay, let’s start.” You press your space bar, and the movie begins.

You both laugh and eat your pizza in absolute glee. This is probably the most fun you’ve had in a while. You’re so grateful for it.

“Hey, thanks for the pizza. It’s delicious,” you say.

“Of course, thank you so much for letting me watch the movie with you,” he says.

“Well, I’m glad I’m not the only one who likes movie musicals,” you scratch the back of your head.

“Me too. I thought I was the only one,” he says.

“What made you like them?” you ask, and his face lights up.

“My mom and sister. They kinda had me grow up with these movies. My sister loves watching them together,” he looks as though he remembers the times he watched it with his family.

“That’s so sweet,” you say. “Are you and your sister close?”

“Yeah. The closest. She’s kinda like my best friend,” he says. You clutch your heart. You can’t take all this cuteness.

“Awww,” you say. He blushes.

During the romance songs, you and Lev don’t look at each other in embarrassment…or maybe it’s something else? No, it’s definitely just embarrassment, right?

Eventually, it gets to your guys’ favorite song. “Hey, Lev.” He looks at you with food in his mouth, and you giggle.

“Hmm?” he hums.

“Did you know that Gene Kelly had a 104 fever during the number?” you say confidently. He swiftly swallows his food and looks back at the dancing Gene Kelly on the screen.

“Really? That’s crazy. But he’s still going strong,” he points.

“Well, you know, the show must go on,” you say.

“I guess so. At least in his case,” he says. You giggle again.

After the movie ends, Lev turns on the lights, and before you can pack everything up, he stops you.

“Uh, hey, Y/N?” he seems nervous all of a sudden.

“Yeah?” you say.

“I had a really fun time with you today,” he says.

“Me too,” you reply. He sits beside you again.

“W-we should do this again,” he says. You give him a surprised look. “I-I know we don’t really live near one another, but I’d love to do this again with you.” Your soft shock is still there but fades into a genuine smile. You grab his hands with yours and hold them.

“I’d love to Lev,” you say. “That would make me so happy.” He jumps from his seated position and outstretches his arms and hugs you tightly. You’re taken aback at first, but you gladly melt into it.

“Y/N?” he says.

“Yeah?” you respond, resting your head on his shoulder.

“I’d gladly sing about how much I like you in the rain with a 104 fever,” he says. Your heart leaps in your chest, and you hug him tighter.

“I’d do the same for you too, Lev,” you say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked Lev's chapter!! Next is Shibayama!!


	18. Yuuki Shibayama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shibayama has a crush on the reader, and after he gets injured, the reader realizes she likes him too.

Something that everyone on Shibayama’s team knows about him is his major crush on you. The whole Nekoma team always bug him about it. However, he didn’t seem to mind too much. Every practice game with Karasuno is always something he looks forward to because he gets to see you. He may not get to play very often, but he sees you, and that is what makes it worthwhile. He figured you didn’t even know he existed. He wouldn’t blame you either; he’s the other way lesser-known libero. Yaku is way cooler than him, and without Kuroo handling the front, he’s just not good enough.

“I bet you’re excited that we’re going against Karasuno today, huh?” Inuoka asks Shibayama while putting his knee pads on. Shibayama gets snapped out of his thoughts before getting all red.

“Y-yeah, I am,” Shibayama says, looking down at the coated wooden floor. Inuoka gives him a big smile.

“I knew it,” Inuoka says.

“Oi, slackers! Hurry up! Karasuno’s gonna be here soon, and we still need to warm up,” Kuroo shouts at them.

“Right!” they shout back and head over to the team to get ready.

This is one of the last practice matches before lunch, and it’s with Nekoma. You’re super excited about it. Nekoma and Karasuno matches are so entertaining to watch, and since both are going to nationals, the stakes are even higher. You can’t help but feel giddy inside.

“I’m guessing you’re excited for the practice match?” Kiyoko asks you while you and the team walk to the gym for the match.

“You bet I am. Matches against Nekoma are so much fun,” you admit. Kiyoko giggles.

“That is true, their team is really skilled and a good match for ours,” Kiyoko says, and you get even giddier.

“Yeah, I can hardly wait,” you say. When you finally reach the inside of the gym, you try to get your manager work done fast so you can enjoy watching the match. You sit with Kiyoko and Yachi and watch. The first half of the set is amazing. Kuroo and Tsukishima’s blocks are on point, Kenma and Kageyama’s set are perfect, Yamamoto and Hinata’s spikers are faster than ever, and Yaku and Nishinoya’s digs are crazy as well. Both teams are just so good. The first set really goes on for some time. You and Yachi hug onto each other out of fear and excitement while Kiyoko notes the match. The ball seems to go back and forth forever without hitting the floor to score. For example, Kuroo spikes it, but Asahi receives it, and the ball is sent to Kageyama. Kageyama sends it to Tanaka, who is blocked by Lev, which Nishinoya digs out. And it just keeps going and going. Being this invested in the match is tiring almost.

Eventually, the first set ends with a win for Karasuno. You can tell the guys are pretty tired. You chat with the other second years during the short break before the next set.

“Man, Tora’s spikes are really good today and pretty scary,” Tanaka says. Nishinoya nods in response.

“Yeah, and their libero’s not playing around either,” Nishinoya says. Ennoshita chimes in with words of encouragement.

“But you guys did really great out there,” he says. Nishinoya and Tanaka look even more upset. So, Ennoshita’s demeanor changes. “So, I better not hear the two of you complain about it again.” You, Kinoshita, and Narita know not to get involved. Tanaka and Nishinoya straighten up.

“Y-yes, sir,” they both give Ennoshita a salute. This makes you, Kinoshita, and Narita laugh.

“Anyway, I heard from Tora that they’re switching up the liberos for the next set,” Tanaka says. Everyone looks shocked.

“Really?” Nishinoya asks, and Tanaka nods.

“Yeah, apparently, him and their first-year mid blocker are a good team,” Tanaka shrugs. “I guess their coach wants to see if they’re still a good fit.”

“So,” you butt in, making everyone turn to you. “They’re gonna put in Shibayama.” Everyone gives you a confused look.

“You know his name?” Ennoshita asks you. You blush.

“Uh. Y-yeah, I try to remember everyone’s name,” you say. You aren’t lying. You try to make it your goal to remember everyone’s names. You aren’t the best with names, so trying to remember people you see pretty often is good practice.

“Huh. I just remember that Shibayama was sitting on the bench with their coach in the first practice match,” Kinoshita remembers. Everyone agrees.

“Yeah, so how’d you figure out his name?” Nishinoya asks.

“I look at the roster for all the teams and figure it out from there,” you shrug.

“Oh,” they all say in understanding.

“Hey! Guys, we’re starting the next set,” coach Ukai shouts at your group. The guys run over to the coach while you return to the bench with Kiyoko and Yachi already waiting for you.

The next set is just as hectic as the first one. Tanaka was right as well. Shibayama was subbed in as the libero. You feel for him a bit. He looks incredibly nervous. You think about how much pressure he must be under right now. You should maybe talk to him about it if you ever get the chance. You watch as he tries to receive a spike from Asahi but flubs it. He seems to get frustrated.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get the next one,” Lev says to Shibayama as he recovers from it. Shibayama nods in response. You see that Kageyama has the serve and does his crazy jump serve. Instead of Shibayama getting it, Kai digs it out himself. The ball is sent to Kenma, who sets it for Fukunaga, and he barely scores through Tsukishima and Daichi’s block. You continue watching Shibayama’s playing. He’s so different from Yaku and Nishinoya. Rather than the team relying on the libero, Shibayama and the team rely on each other.

As the set gets into the late 20s, you could not predict what would happen next. You see that Asahi throws up his jump serve, and it goes to Kuroo whose in the back with Shibayama and Kai. Kuroo sends it to Kenma, and he sets it for Lev, but Lev is blocked by Tsukishima, who gets a one-touch. The ball goes to Nishinoya, and he sends it to Kageyama. Kageyama sends it to Asahi, and he spikes it. Both Shibayama and Kai dive to receive but end up colliding. You don’t really see the collision clearly but judging by the reactions of others; it’s not good. It reminds you of Tanaka’s clash with Daichi. Everyone stops the game to check on the two of them, ignoring the point Karasuno had gotten. Kai gets up on his feet quickly while Shibayama stays on the ground. You feel your heart sink. However, he does sit up, but you can tell he’s in bad shape. Everyone rushes to his aid. Yaku, Lev, and Inuoka bend down to his level.

“Are you okay? What hurts?” Yaku asks, inspecting him. Shibayama grumbles in pain. Kai immediately apologizes when he fully comprehends the situation. You and the rest of the Karasuno team run over too.

“I think…my arm,” Shibayama mumbles.

“Your arm! Then you need medical attention right away! Don’t worry; you’ll be okay! Just hang in there! We’ll have you—” Lev gets cut off from his shouting by Yaku hitting him.

“Don’t freak him out with your shouting!” Yaku says.

“Owie,” Lev says, making Shibayama laugh. Everyone is relieved that Shibayama seems to be pretty much okay.

“Hey, Y/N,” coach Ukai says to you.

“Yes, sir?” you reply.

“Why don’t you take him to the infirmary,” coach says, gesturing to Shibayama.

“O-of course,” you say and push through the small crowd to get to him. Yaku and the others back away when they notice you approaching. Shibayama blushes when you bend down to him. You give him a soft smile. “Hey, I can take you to the nurse’s office to give you first aid, okay?”

“O-okay,” he gets up, and you both leave the gym. Every Nekoma member, except Kenma, gives Shibayama suggestive looks, making him even more nervous.

When you both get to the infirmary, you gesture for him to sit on a chair while you get some supplies. You grab some bandages from a cabinet and ice from the freezer. You walk back over to him, pull up a chair for yourself, and sit across from him. You figure you’ll bandage him up first.

“Tell me if I’m hurting you, okay?” you say, looking at him. He’s looking down at the corner of the room.

“I-I will,” he says quietly. You begin bandaging his arm; it’s all red and kind of puffy. That collision must have been rough. After bandaging him up, you hand him the ice, and he puts it on his injury. He winces in pain from the chill.

“Sorry,” you say.

“It’s okay,” he says.

“So, what happened? I didn’t really see. I mean, we don’t have to talk about if you don’t want to,” you say.

“N-no, it’s fine. Kai and I were both trying to get the ball, but he accidentally fell on top of my arm in the impact,” he says, and you wince.

“Oh, that’s terrible,” you say, still wincing.

“It’s okay. It was an accident. I don’t blame him at all,” Shibayama says.

“I gotta admit,” you say. “I was watching you play, and you’re really fun to watch.” He blushes.

“I-I am?” he stutters, and you giggle.

“Yeah. You and the team relied on each other, and that was interesting to see on display,” you say. He gets even redder.

“Th-thank you,” he says.

“Of course,” you reply. “How’re you feeling?” He looks down at the ice pack on his injury and then back at you.

“I’m feeling better now, but I don’t think they’ll let me play for the rest of the day,” Shibayama says. “And that kinda sucks.”

“Aw, but you need some rest after what just happened,” you say.

“I don’t know about that, but I finally got to play, and this happened,” he says, his eyes become downcast. “I guess I just have bad luck.”

“Don’t say that,” you blurt. The action surprises both of you. “I-I mean, I heard that you played a great game in the qualifying rounds for nationals. That you were able to be integrated into the team and beat the other team.” You remember what Tanaka had told you.

“I-I didn’t know you knew about that,” he says quietly.

“O-oh, yeah,” you say, scratching the back of your head.

“I mean, being here is honestly just as amazing as playing in a volleyball game,” he mumbles, almost inaudible.

“What’d you say?” you ask. He perks up with his face matching his jersey.

“N-nothing,” he blurts. “Just mumbling to myself, that’s all.”

“Oh, okay,” you reply. The two of you sit in silence now as he holds the ice pack on his bandaged arm. You just take in the scenery of the room, but it’s only an average nurse’s office. Nothing too special about it.

“H-hey,” Shibayama says, cutting you away from your thoughts. “I-if you want, you can head back. I-I think I’ll be okay.”

“I can’t leave you until you feel better, and I know that you’re okay,” you say matter-of-factly. “That’s part of a manager’s job.” He looks at you, confused.

“But you aren’t my manager,” he says simply.

“Well, I guess, for now, you can think of me as your temporary manager,” you say. He blushes at that.

“O-okay,” he says.

“Do you think you’ll be okay without the ice now?” you ask him, pointing to the pack. He takes the ice off and puts it down on a nearby table.

“Yeah, I think I’ll be okay,” he says.

“Good. I’m glad you’re okay and that you weren’t seriously injured,” you say, looking at his injury. He looks down at the floor, all flushed.

“Uh. Thanks,” he says, still not looking at you. You get up from your chair and return the ice pack to the freezer.

“Are you okay to go, or do you wanna stay here longer?” you ask. He thinks for a while, trying to decide.

“I mean, we can go if you want,” he answers after a bit of thinking.

“Sure thing,” you reply, and he gets up from his chair, and you both walk back to the gym. You even accompany him when he talks to coach Nekomata. And as he predicted, he was told to go to the classrooms to get some rest. You offered to go with him, but he said that you’re needed there and not with him. That makes you a bit sad because you told him before that you are going to be there for him. I guess he assumed that the “temporary” part was really short, you think. Feeling defeated, you go back to Kiyoko and Yachi on the bench.

“How is he?” Yachi asks as you sit down.

“I think he’ll be okay,” you say, looking down at the floor instead of the hectic match you were so excited to watch before.

“What’s wrong. Y/N?” Kiyoko asks you.

“Nothing,” you lie. Kiyoko and Yachi exchange looks, worried.

“Did something happen?” Yachi asks.

“I guess not,” you say, making them even more confused. You try to shake off this feeling. “Anyway, let’s watch the match.”

“Okay,” Yachi says.

The rest of the day goes by fast. You barely even realize that it’s after dinner and the day is over. You never stopped thinking about Shibayama. You really are worried about him. You saw him at dinner, but he seemed different than before. He seemed more nervous and less talkative. You change into your “normal” clothes and sit on your cot in the managers’ room. You’re with Kiyoko, Hana, and Kaori. Kiyoko sits beside you on her cot, reading a book while Hana and Kaori talk about that day’s matches. You sit thinking about the day. Almost concentrating on it.

“Hey, Y/N,” Hana shakes your shoulder, trying to get your attention.

“Yeah?” you respond with your eyes closed.

“There’s someone here to see you,” she says, and you open your eyes.

“Someone’s here to see me?” you repeat.

“They have something for you,” she says. You give her a confused look, and she shrugs. You get up from your cot and go to the door. You open it, and it’s Shibayama on the other side. He rubs the back of his neck when you see him.

“Uh, hey,” he says.

“H-hey,” you stutter. “S-so, what’s up?” He gets all nervous.

“I was hoping I could talk to you,” he looks behind you to the other girls. You follow his gaze. You step out of the room and into the hallway and close the classroom door.

“Okay,” you say.

“How about we go to the music room?” he suggests, and you nod. He leads the way there with you behind him. Your mind floods with questions. I wonder what he needs to talk to me about. Did I upset him somehow? Is he mad?

He opens the door to the music room, and you both walk inside. He stays at the doorway and turns on the light. The room is filled with chairs that are facing a giant piano. You turn to him, and you now notice he’s holding a bag.

“S-so, uh, what do you need to talk to me about?” you ask, almost dreading it.

“I wanted to apologize and thank you,” he says. You slightly cock your head to the side. Both?

“Oh? What for?” you ask.

“I wanted to thank you for helping me with my injury, and I wanted to apologize for acting the way I did,” he says. You give him a sympathetic look, but he continues. “I was frustrated that I got hurt during a crucial moment. Not only that, but I also took it out on you, which is completely unfair. I mean, you are the one person I never want to hurt.” You’re shocked to hear that last part.

“You’re—” he cuts you off by swiftly putting the bag in front of himself.

“So, I got you something,” he says, and you raise your hands to the bag and take it. You open it and find a small cupcake inside. “I’m sorry if it’s not a flavor you like.”

“Thank you,” you say and give him the sweetest smile you can muster. He becomes all red and looks to the side.

“O-of c-course,” he stutters. You put it back in the bag for later.

“Shibayama,” you say, and he slowly returns his gaze to you. “It’s okay that you were frustrated. I understand completely, so there’s no need to apologize.” He huffs in relief.

“Thank you for that. I was afraid you were gonna be mad. But you’re understanding and kind,” he starts to go off by accident without realizing it. “I guess that’s why I like you so much.” You don’t react for a minute, and he stands there like his brain fainted from shock. Once you register what he just said, your face red becomes the same color as Nekoma’s team colors.

“You…you…” you don’t even know what to say. He comes back to earth and begins the shower of “sorrys.”

“I’m so sorry for saying that it just slipped out,” he rambles. “I didn’t want you to find out like this. I never wanted you to have to decide or anything. I’m sorry, I should’ve just kept my mouth shut. I really don’t know how—”

“Shibayama,” you cut in. He stops, scared for the worst. “I have been worrying about you all day. I even thought that we had a moment when I helped you.” You look at him with a small smile. “I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.” His shocked expression softens.

“Yeah,” he says. “Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Shibayama's chapter!! Next is Oikawa!!


	19. Tooru Oikawa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone participates in a karaoke night, and the reader is paired up with Oikawa. They sing a duet, and things change for them.

You aren’t sure why everyone decided to take their night off to go out and do karaoke, but the world and the volleyball boys are a weird breed. As soon as Hana, Yukie and Kaori thought it would be fun; you knew the managers were going to be dragged into it as well. And you were right. The captains made the decision. Although, Daichi told you before leaving that he didn’t come up with the idea. Terushima brought up the idea, and everyone, except Daichi, Kita, and Ushiwaka were entirely on board with it. That didn’t surprise you one bit.

Currently, you find yourself getting ready for the “night out” in the manager room with the other managers. You figure you’ll wear something a little dressy; this is a night out after all.

“I’m so excited to go do karaoke,” Hana says, putting on a jacket.

“Me too. It’ll be a good way for everyone to get closer,” Kaori says.

“Yeah, considering all the boys fight all the time,” you say, getting your jacket from your bag, and the girls laugh.

“Terushima told me that we’re singing in pairs,” Hana says. Yukie and Kaori groan.

“Awww, but I wanted to show off my amazing vocal skills,” Yukie says, and Kaori pats her shoulder. You actually feel relieved that you’re singing in pairs. Singing all by yourself in front of about 1000 teenagers you know is scary and having someone to back you up is comforting, or rather to be back-up is comforting.

“When do we find out our partner?” Runa asks hesitantly. She looks extremely nervous.

“I think when we get there,” Hana says. “It’ll be randomized.”

“Oh, that makes it even more fun,” Mai says. You pray to whomever or whatever you aren’t put with someone who will make a big deal out of it.

After everyone’s ready, you join up with the boys and go to karaoke. Luckily, no one was at the karaoke hall, so you guys have the room to yourselves. Oh, great, I don’t have to embarrass myself in front of more people, you think. You all find some seats around the hall facing the stage. The captains go up on it.

“Alright, everyone, I know you’re very excited for tonight,” Kuroo says, holding the microphone. Everyone cheers. “I mean, this is possibly the best idea we could come up with as captains.” Kuroo turns to the other captains, with a few of them agreeing. Kuroo hands the mic to Terushima.

“Okay, so, here’s the deal. We randomized your names, and they’ll appear on this screen,” he points to a TV screen beside the stage. They must’ve gotten here early to set all this up. “And once you see who you’re with, you’ll have 20 minutes to figure out your song. Once you figure it out, please come to the front and type it in next your name, and after that, we’ll perform in the order your names appeared.” He finishes, and everyone talks amongst themselves. A few saying who they want to be paired with, and others saying how nervous or excited they are. Oikawa presses a button, and the names flash onto the screens.

“Good luck, everyone,” Daichi shouts into the crowd while everyone sees who they’re with. You scan the list and try to find your name. You find you’re paired with…Oikawa. The one person who will have the most flair and attention. The captains come off the stage and find their partners. Oikawa walks up to you, and you feel a tang in your chest.

“Y/N-chan looks like you’re my partner!” he says excitedly.

“Yeah, looks like it,” you force yourself to say.

“I’m so excited. I already have a few ideas that I want to run by you,” he says, sitting beside you.

“Already?” you ask. Did he somehow know we’d be paired up together? You think.

“Yeah. I was thinking we could do a duet rather than have one person singing most of the song while the other does mostly background,” he says.

“Okay, so what’d you have in mind?” you ask.

“A Disney duet,” he says smugly. “Not just any duet, a romance duet.” You stare at him blankly before you feel your cheeks get warm.

“W-we can’t do t-that,” you stutter.

“Why not?” he asks, and then he sees your flustered actions. “Oh? Could it be you’re nervous about singing a song like that with me?” He sees right through you.

“Th-that’s not it,” you lie.

“Uh-huh, sure it’s not,” he says sarcastically. “Anyway, Y/N-chan, I’ve narrowed it down to Love Is An Open Door, I See The Light, and A Whole New World. Which one do you think is best?” You blush again and look away from him.

“I-I don’t really mind,” you say. You do want to say that you want to do I See The Light from Tangled, but you’re way too nervous. But it’s such a beautiful song. He thinks for a minute.

“I think we should do I See The Light because it means I get to be a roguish handsome guy,” he says. You give him a look. “What? Flynn Rider is someone I can totally emulate.” Now you give him a confused look.

“You know that movie?” you ask him, genuinely surprised.

“Of course, I do. My nephew loves Disney movies, so we watch them all the time,” Oikawa says matter-of-factly. Your surprise seems to amuse him.

“Oh, I see,” you say.

“So, Y/N-chan, is that song okay with you?” he asks you, getting a little closer. You blush and scurry away out of embarrassment.

“Y-yeah,” you say.

“Yay, I’m so glad. I can’t wait to show off how good I am at singing,” he says.

“Well, since it’s coming from you, I don’t know if I trust your word,” you say quietly.

“EXCUSE me, I have the voice of an angel,” he says. You laugh at that.

“Uh-huh, sure you do,” you imitate his smugness from before. This seems to irk him. He returns to his usual self, though.

“Oh, I do,” he says. “And when you see how amazing I am, you’ll beg for my forgiveness.” You burst out laughing now.

“Y-yeah, that’ll totally happen,” you say in between laughs. He gives you a pouty look.

“Well, I’m glad we figured out what we’re going to do quickly,” he says.

“Me too. So, I’m assuming you know your part?” you ask him.

“Oh, of course, I do,” he says confidently. He looks over to the screen with the names listed. “It looks like we’re in the middle, near the end.” He points it out to you.

“Yeah,” you agree. You’re actually glad you’re in the middle, so no one will really be paying attention.

“I’m gonna go type in our song, okay?” he says and stands up. You nod while he walks over to a keyboard near the screen and types in the song. You notice that quite a few people also quickly picked their songs. You see the first pair listed is Sakunami and Kamasaki. At least they’re on the same team and know each other pretty well, you think. You go down to your name and look above to see who’s before you and Oikawa. It’s Suna and Nishinoya. You stifle a giggle. That you should be interesting, you think. After you are Yachi and Yaku, that should also be interesting, you think.

“We’re all set now,” Oikawa says, sitting beside you.

“O-oh, good,” you reply.

“You know, Y/N-chan, I’m really looking forward to doing this with you,” he says flirtatiously. You fumble for a response. He pats your head. “Don’t worry; I’m sure you’ll do great.” Your face has never been hotter. After a bit more waiting, Kuroo returns to the stage with Bokuto and Terushima. You assume they were the main culprits for this.

“Okay, everyone, it seems you’ve submitted your songs, so we will now begin, and the first pair is…” Kuroo says with his mic and looks to the screen. “Sakunami and Kamasaki! Good luck, you guys!” Sakunami and Kamasaki make their way to the stage and begin singing. You can feel yourself beginning to freak out. Your heart patters, and your palms sweat. You start to come back when you notice Bokuto going up with Ushijima. Bokuto and Ushijama are such an odd pair, and it seems everyone thinks so too because they laugh before they even sing.

“I can’t wait to see how ‘Mr. Perfect’ will do,” Oikawa whispers to you. You giggle at his comment.

“Okay, you guys, Ushijima and I will be singing the song Let It Grow from the Lorax,” Bokuto says into the mic.

“Not Let It Go?” you hear someone shout from the crowd. Bokuto laughs.

“No, we are singing Let It Grow,” Ushijima says into his mic without wavering his blank expression. Making the crowd go silent and Bokuto laughs awkwardly while starting the song. Mostly Bokuto sings the song with everyone laughing. Bokuto really gives it his all, and he’s actually pretty talented. Ushijima gives more of a wooden performance. It’s absolutely hilarious and leaves everyone in roars of laughter. You and Oikawa laugh at Ushijima’s blank face as he sings. After they’re done, everyone claps and cheers as they exit the stage.

“Well, I think we were both surprised,” Oikawa says.

“Pleasantly surprised,” you correct, and he laughs.

“Yes, pleasantly surprised,” he repeats.

The next performance of note is with Tsukishima and Yukie. As they go to the stage, you can see Tsukishima absolutely dreading it. When they get to the stage, the managers and Yamaguchi cheer for them.

“Thank you, thank you,” Yukie says into the mic. “We will be singing BOOMBAYAH by BLACKPINK.” You’re surprised. You didn’t know that Yukie likes BLACKPINK. The song begins, and you see that Yukie starts to dance with Tsukishima just standing there. It’s pretty funny. You’re surprised when Tsukishima starts rapping, and Yukie sings and dances. It’s almost like it’s Tsukishima carrying the performance. Does Tsukishima know BLACKPINK too? After they’re done, everyone erupts into claps and cheers, with Yamaguchi leading them.

The next pair to perform is Terushima and Shirabu. Poor Shirabu looks pretty freaked out with Terushima seeming the happiest he’s ever been.

“We’ll be singing I’m Legit by Nicki Minaj and Ciara,” Terushima says. The song begins, and Shirabu starts hesitantly singing as Ciara. When Terushima joins, the song gets more hyped as he raps the Nicki Minaj part. Terushima is the one who really brings the song to life because Shirabu seems nervous and ready for it to end.

The next pair that makes everyone erupt in laugher is Kuroo and Tendou. When they get to the stage, everyone cheers for them.

“Thank you all,” Kuroo says and turns to Tendou, who smirks at him. “We will be singing How Ban Can I Be? From the Lorax.” Bokuto stands up from within the crowd.

“Hey! You can’t do a song from a movie I just did,” Bokuto shouts. Akaashi grabs him and forces him to sit down.

“Stop it, Bokuto,” Akaashi says.

The song starts, and it’s a riot. Kuroo and Tendou switch off on lead vocals, and they’re both really good. You know it’s just a jab towards Ushijima and Bokuto, but it’s hilarious. They really get into the song, which makes it even better.

Before you know it, it’s Suna and Nishinoya’s turn. Your dread comes back to you. You start to sweat and slouch in your seat. You feel your shoulder receive a pat.

“Hey,” Oikawa says, and you look at him. “I told you, there’s no need to worry. I mean, you saw Ushijima’s performance.” You giggle, making your nerves go away a bit.

“Thanks, Oikawa,” you say.

“Of course, besides, if you mess up, I’ll just take over, duh,” he says, and you roll your eyes playfully. You still have a tang in your heart, though. After Suna and Nishinoya are done, your nerves flood back into you. Oikawa stands and holds out his hand for yours. You take it and go up together. He introduces the song for the two of you, and the song starts with you. You know the song by heart, so you close your eyes to calm yourself. When Oikawa begins to sing, you open your eyes to look at him; he’s in his element. He’s super talented. You feel warm again, but it’s not from the nerves of singing. When the two of you have to sing together, you both look at each other. You both ignore the others around you and just sing to each other. Usually, the eye contact would have freaked you out, but with Oikawa, it’s different. You want him to reach out to you like what Eugene and Rapunzel do in the song, but he seems to keep a safe distance. When the song finishes, you continue gazing at each other and stop when everyone cheers for you. You both turn away from each other and quietly go back to your seats. Next is Yachi and Yaku, but you ignore the performance. You and Oikawa don’t really interact for the rest of the performances.

Eventually, everyone has gone, and it’s time to head back to Seijoh. You walk back with the other managers as they talk about all the performances, but all you can think about is Oikawa.

When everyone gets back to Seijoh, the coaches are waiting for them, and so is dinner. You decide you’ll skip dinner and have some food you brought in the managers’ room. You figure you’ll watch a movie to get your mind off of everything.

After watching some stuff on your laptop, you finally rummage through your bag to get something to eat. When you hear running coming towards your room, it scares you a bit when you see…

“Oikawa?” you say as his head pops through the open door. You put down your food and stand up. “What are you doing here?” He comes into the room.

“Well, I didn’t see you at dinner, so I didn’t know if you’d eaten anything,” he says and seems almost nervous, which is incredibly out of character for him.

“Oh, I have some food that I brought,” you say.

“Oh, that’s good,” he says and awkwardly clears his throat. “Anyway, I thought you were pretty good today.” You blush and look down at the ground.

“Th-thank you,” you say. “You were amazing too.” You don’t see his face, but you can still tell how much you’ve just inflated his ego.

“Thanks,” he says. “So, what’re you doing here all by yourself?” You look at him now, and he seems a bit concerned.

“Just watching a movie,” you say and point to your laptop.

“Oh, I bet it’s a Disney movie,” he returns to his Oikawa self.

“Actually, no, it’s an action movie,” you say.

“Oh? Really? I didn’t peg you as someone who liked action movies,” he says. You shrug.

“I mean, they can fun too,” you admit. He chuckles.

“I guess,” he says. “Anyway, I’m glad that you got some food to eat.”

“Wait, Oikawa. Did you leave dinner just to make sure I was okay?” you question him. His face gets a bit red.

“Maybe, I might’ve,” he admits. You give him a soft smile.

“Thank you for looking out for me today,” you say, and he gives you a confused look. “Well, even before during karaoke, you helped me to stay calm, so thank you for that.” He gets redder.

“Sure,” he says.

“Hey,” you say. “Why didn’t you reach out to me during the song? I really wanted you to.” He stumbles back in surprise.

“What? Are you serious? I thought you’d be mad. I mean, I…wanted to, but I didn’t think it was right,” Oikawa says. You walk closer to him. You put out your hand for him to take. He looks at you for reassurance, and he takes it.

“See? It’s okay,” you say.

“Yeah, and it’s not so bad,” he says. You squeeze his hand, and he pretends it hurts. “So, do you wanna maybe go out with me, the great king?” You give him a look. “I mean if you want.” You give him a sweet smile.

“I’d love to,” you say.


	20. Hajime Iwaizumi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader likes Iwaizumi but thinks she doesn't have a chance. Maybe the reader is wrong.

You don’t know why you like Iwaizumi over every other boy. Especially since most of the volleyball boys you know try to court you all the time. But none of them really gave you any feelings that Iwaizumi musters in you. He doesn’t even have to try hard either. He doesn’t seem to be all that interested in you, though. You’re okay with your one-sided crush. You’re okay with admiring him from afar. However, despite that, you try to befriend all the members of Seijoh, hoping you’ll get close to him. Oikawa even jokes that you manage them more than your own team sometimes. Only sometimes, your team, Karasuno, comes first because that’s your job.

You keep your feelings bottled up inside, with the only person knowing your crush being Kiyoko. She knows you well enough to recognize the signs. She always encourages you to tell him how you feel, but you never do. You still think it’ll never work. He’s got more important things on his mind.

“That’s what I’m saying,” Mai suddenly says on your right to Yukie. The three of you are walking to lunch together.

“Well, then you’re ridiculous, right, Y/N?” Yukie says to you. You were zoned out this whole time.

“Huh?” you say. Yukie grumbles.

“Come on, Y/N, we are discussing why Fukuroudani is better than Date Tech,” Yukie says before you can say anything; Mai butts in.

“No, I was saying why Date Tech is the better team,” Mai says. Oh, right, this whole debacle. They continue to argue who’s the best team.

“Guys, I think it depends on how you look at it,” you say. They stop to look at you.

“Huh?” they both say.

“Well, if we’re talking about the team dynamic and good relationships between members, I’d say Fukuroudani is best,” you say. Yukie gives Mai a look of triumph. Mai narrows her eyes at Yukie. “However, I’d say with defense; there’s no one better than Date Tech.”

“Our team has good blocks too, you know,” Yukie says. You sigh. There’s no stopping this argument.

“Our team gets along well and have a strong bond, too,” Mai says. At this point, the three of you reach the dining hall and grab your food and sit down at the manager’s table. Luckily, they stop arguing about which team is better. You love your team, but if you think about it…there’s one man who’s got some of the best skill, especially as an ace. You take this moment of silence to try and locate him. You see him three tables down with Oikawa, Matsukawa, and Hanamaki. He seems to be annoyed with Oikawa about something. You wonder what it could be. Just then, Aone sits in front of your line of vision to where Iwaizumi sits. You go back to the managers to try and figure out what they’re chatting about now.

“So, who’d you guys play today?” Hana asks the group.

“We just played Inarizaki, Shiratorizawa, and Date Tech,” Yukie says. Ah, that’s why the two of them were comparing teams, you think. Makes sense now.

“Seijoh, Nekoma, and well, Fukurodani,” Mai replies.

“We played a tough game with Nekoma at first, then a good game with Johzenji and then Shiratorizawa,” you contribute.

“Man, I really hope that today won’t drag out like yesterday did,” Hana says. “Our team played until like 9 at night.”

“Seriously?” Mai asks.

“Yeah, all because Terushima loved playing against Seijoh,” Hana complains. “He said, and I quote, ‘they’re such a fun team to play against. I just want to play them all the time.’” Everyone laughs.

“Was there someone in particular that he enjoyed messing with?” Yukie asks. Hana shrugs before answering.

“Who knows? All though he did like messing with their ace and Oikawa,” Hana says. You perk up mentally at the mention of the ace.

“How’d he mess with them?” you ask, almost as if on autopilot.

“Well, he would try to do their tricks during the game on the fly, and he tried imitating their ace,” Hana replies. You have to admit, Terushima’s a good player, but he can never match Iwaizumi.

And with that, everyone eats up their lunches and has to head back to managering for the day. You walk out with Kiyoko and Yachi, ready for the next practice match. You turn to Kiyoko as the gym grows closer.

“Do you know who we’re playing against?” you ask her.

“I think it’s Inarizaki first, and then after that is Date Tech and then Seijoh,” she says. You get a bit red from hearing Seijoh’s name at the end of the list. Kiyoko gives you a knowing smile. You hear Yachi’s voice and turn to her.

“Those teams are pretty tough,” Yachi says. You and Kiyoko giggle.

“I would say that all the teams are all powerful and worthy opponents,” you say with your pointer finger pointing to the sky above. Kiyoko giggles again.

“I agree,” Kiyoko says. Yachi scratches behind her head.

“I guess you’re right,” Yachi says.

The three of you get to the gym and change into your gym shoes, leaving your sneakers outside the door. The gym is huge. It still surprises you how big Seijoh’s campus is. There are two courts instead of one inside. Date Tech will play their first match next door while Karasuno plays against Inarizaki. Everyone rotates, meaning after that, you’ll play Date Tech and then after Seijoh. You can’t help but look forward to later today.

After the boys properly warm up, it’s time to start the match. You sit with Kiyoko and Yachi on the bench, watching the game. Inarizaki’s team is impressive, and their basically veterans when it comes to going to nationals. Their setter and his twin brother are pretty legendary. As well as their ace and middle blocker. They really give Karasuno a run for their money. Coach Ukai said beforehand that it’s a good thing we’re going against them early. We can find their weaknesses and learn to counteract them.

According to the coach’s early analysis, their team has quite the cheer squad, which always throws other teams off. Luckily, they don’t have the cheer squad with them now, so you all can analyze their playing with full focus.

The match goes into three sets, with Inarizaki taking two and Karasuno taking one. However, that doesn’t waver the team, and they do their flying lap penalty in stride. The next match is with Date Tech. Ever since Karasuno beat them during their last game, they’ve gotten a lot stronger as a team. At this point, Seijoh comes into the gym and goes to the court next door. You can’t really watch them, though. You have to watch your team. Although anytime Iwaizumi does his incredible spikes, you sneak a bit of a glance. Kiyoko, of course, notices all the glances you make.

“That was an impressive spike Iwaizumi did just now,” Kiyoko says. You feel your face get hot. You look away from him.

“Was it? I hadn’t even noticed,” you lie. She narrows her eyes at you with a smile.

“You should tell him how impressive it was,” Kiyoko says.

“Yeah, yeah, maybe,” you say, just trying to change the subject.

The game continues with Date Tech, with the game going into four sets. At the beginning of the fourth set, Seijoh finishes their match and wait for Karasuno to be done. They practice by themselves next door. During a small break, Kiyoko comes up to you seemly with a plan of some kind.

“You should wait with them,” Kiyoko says. “You know, so when we’re done here, you can tell them immediately.”

“Are you sure that’s okay?” you ask. You don’t want to leave Karasuno just like that.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure you won’t get into trouble,” Kiyoko says and waves her hand to gesture to scurry over to Seijoh. “It’s okay, really.”

“Alright, but—” you try to speak, but she interrupts you.

“Go on,” she says and pushes you a bit. You hesitantly walk over to the Seijoh team practicing. When they notice you approaching, they stop their practicing.

“Y/N-chan! Hi!” Oikawa says, going up to you first. The rest of the team follows except Iwaizumi and Kyoutani.

“Y/N, are you here to help us out?” Yahaba asks you.

“Are you here because you’re making sure we’re ready for the match?” Watari asks.

“Maybe you’re here because you missed us,” Oikawa says. Everyone seems to crowd you with questions. It overwhelms you.

“Guys stop crowding her,” Iwaizumi says. “Just let her do her thing. She doesn’t need your nosy asses near her.” Everyone backs away from you to return their practice, all grumbling. Oikawa stays behind for a bit longer.

“Don’t worry, Y/N-chan. Now that you’re here, I’ll make sure to play my absolute best,” Oikawa says. You nervously laugh.

“Shittykawa,” Iwaizumi is now standing beside him. Oikawa gulps and turns to look at him. “I thought I said to stop crowding or did you not hear me?” Oikawa’s teeth chatter together, but he feigns confidence.

“You did? I’m sorry, Iwa-chan. I was chatting with Y/N-chan,” Oikawa says with a noticeable fake smile.

“Uh-huh. Well, get back to practice,” Iwaizumi says, and Oikawa scurries off in fear. Iwaizumi turns to you. “I’m sorry about him.”

“I-it’s okay, don’t worry about me,” you say. Iwaizumi sighs before continuing.

“You know, if any of these guys are bothering you, you can always tell them to leave you alone,” Iwaizumi says. “I think they’ll understand.”

“I’ll, uh, keep that in mind. Thanks,” you say. He gives you a small smile. You become red hot.

“Of course. And you’ll always have me if they’re pushing your buttons too,” he says. You chuckle.

“I’ll keep that in mind too,” you reply. He nods and goes back to practicing with the team. You stand outside of the court waiting. You turn around to see that Karasuno is playing their fourth set with Date Tech. It seems as though they’ve just started.

“Hey, guys, why don’t we practice some spikes,” Oikawa says to the team. Everyone makes two lines behind Yahaba and Oikawa. Iwaizumi, of course, is in the Oikawa line. It seems as though most boys on the team are trying to impress you with their technique. The one person you do care about doesn’t seem to try and impress you. Instead, he does his amazing spikes for himself. The spike he hits goes right into the corner of the court. What you do next is pretty brave, and you’re not sure how you did it.

“N-nice kill, Iwaizumi,” you say. Oikawa and Iwaizumi look at you in a bit of shock. Oikawa seems to pout.

“I was the one who set it up,” Oikawa mopes. Iwaizumi gives you another handsome smile.

“Thank you, Y/N,” he says. You blush.

“It wasn’t even that great of a spike,” Oikawa says quietly. Iwaizumi looks back at Oikawa. Judging by Oikawa’s face, it’s not a nice threat. Iwaizumi goes back to the end of the line, and the practice continues. After a bit, you check behind you again to see the score is 18-20 in Karasuno’s favor. The set should be over soon. You still feel a bit bad that you aren’t there to cheer on your team. You love them, so you do feel guilty.

Seijoh finishes their practice up and waits for Karasuno alongside you. Karasuno’s at set point, so it shouldn’t be long now. Asahi does the last spike and wins the set for Karasuno. After, they take a break for Karasuno to rest up before the next match.

“I wish they would practice fast,” Oikawa says, watching Karasuno practice their spikes and receives. “I wanna hurry up and beat them.” The other third years give him a look. Oikawa looks at you now. “No offense, Y/N-chan.” You laugh nervously again.

“I know you want to get your revenge on them, but Karasuno’s a strong team,” Iwaizumi says. Oikawa grumbles again. After a bit of rest and practice, the match starts up. You return to the bench with Yachi and Kiyoko.

“So, how’d it go?” Kiyoko asks you as you sit down.

“I-it was good,” you say. “All though, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t like me like that, though.” Kiyoko pats your shoulder.

“Come on, don’t say that. He would be insane not to like you,” Kiyoko reassures. Yachi pops her head into view.

“What are you guys talking about?” Yachi asks. You both look at her nervously.

“Uh, we are…” you try to think of a lie.

“We…are…rehearsing…a play,” Kiyoko says, and you give her a look. Yachi is even more confused.

“A play?” Yachi asks.

“Yup, I’m writing one,” Kiyoko says.

“Yeah, and she asked to help her rehearse it,” you say. None of this makes any sense, and Yachi seems to know that, but she doesn’t pry.

“Oh, okay,” Yachi says. Kiyoko whispers to you now.

“You really should tell him how you feel,” Kiyoko whispers. You blush.

“I don’t know if I can,” you say.

“Well, you’ll never know what he’ll think if he doesn’t know,” Kiyoko says.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right about that,” you say. Maybe Kiyoko’s right. Perhaps you should say something.

The match goes on for a bit, and everyone plays an intense game. Even though it’s a practice match, everyone seems to be playing for keeps. Anytime Iwaizumi makes a crazy play; you can feel Kiyoko’s smile being projected at you. You aren’t even looking at her either. You just know. The first set ends with a victory for Seijoh, which isn’t too surprising given that they had more time to prepare. Iwaizumi, as always, got a lot of the points for the team. Coach Ukai gives the boys pointers, and then they continue with a second match. Karasuno wins the second match, so there must be a third set. The third set starts with a fire in both teams. You can feel it even as an outsider. Everyone seems to have their rivals, and they really try to stick it to them. Oikawa tries to bait Kageyama. Asahi and Iwaizumi have a small competition going. Hinata tries to outdo Matsukawa. Nishinoya is trying to beat Watari as well. They certainly are good rivals, even if the teams won’t admit it. The third set ends with a win for Karasuno.

“You can wait for Seijoh,” Kiyoko says as Seijoh starts doing their flying laps. “We can handle everything else.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to trouble you,” you say.

“It’s no problem. Yachi and I will deal with the water bottles and such,” she says. “You can help out with Seijoh.” You blush because you know what she really means.

“Okay,” you say hesitantly. You do still help Kiyoko and Yachi collect volleyballs and get the water bottles into their holder. Before Kiyoko and Yachi leave with the rest of the team, Kiyoko says one last thing.

“Good luck to you, Y/N,” Kiyoko says. You laugh nervously and wave them off. You wait patiently as Seijoh’s coach talks to the team. After that, you walk over to Oikawa and Iwaizumi.

“Y/N-chan, did you see my sets? I bet you were amazed by them. Not that I blame you because I am the best,” Oikawa says. You and Iwaizumi give him a look. Oikawa gasps, suddenly surprising you and Iwaizumi. “Y/N-chan, do you want to help me and Iwa-chan practice?” Is he serious? You have dreamed about this moment. Being able to help Iwaizumi improve.

“Seriously, dumbass? She probably has better things to do,” Iwaizumi says.

“N-no,” you say rather loudly. They both look at you, stunned. This is the first time they’ve heard you raise your voice. “I’m not busy. I can help you.” Oikawa claps his hands together.

“Yay! Thank you so much,” Oikawa says.

“Yeah, thank you,” Iwaizumi says with a small smile.

“Hey, how come you only smile like that around Y/N-chan?” Oikawa sulks. Iwaizumi gives him another threatening look. “N-never mind. Let’s get to practicing.” Oikawa twirls around and goes over to the net. Iwaizumi gets into position as you get a volleyball. You throw it into the air over to Oikawa. You’re no volleyball player, so you hope it was a good enough toss for Oikawa to set. Oikawa throws the ball up, and Iwaizumi runs to it at top speed. He jumps up high and spikes it. The ball hits the ground with such force that it flattens before popping back up on the impact. It’s remarkable.

“That set was too low,” Iwaizumi says to Oikawa. Oikawa gives him a nervous smile.

“Yeah, I’m sorry,” Oikawa replies. That wasn’t a good toss? It looked perfect from where you’re standing.

“Uh, I’m sorry,” you say, and they both look at you. “I’ll toss you a better ball next time.” Oikawa laughs a bit.

“It’s not you, don’t worry,” he says. Iwaizumi looks back at the net now.

“Yeah, you’re doing just fine,” Iwaizumi says. It makes you blush.

“Anyways, let’s do another,” Oikawa says, and Iwaizumi nods and goes back to position. You toss another ball to Oikawa, and he sets it for Iwaizumi. Again, it’s another fantastic spike.

“That was a better one,” Iwaizumi says bluntly. Oikawa nods. This process goes on for about 30 minutes before you start to get a bit hungry. “We should stop and get some dinner.” Oikawa pouts again.

“Aww, already?” Oikawa says.

“Yeah, come on, we gotta eat,” Iwaizumi says.

“Okay, thank you for all your help Y/N-chan,” Oikawa says, giving you a big smile.

“O-of course,” you say.

“Yeah, thanks,” Iwaizumi says. Your heart flutters in your chest. “Come on, Oikawa, let’s pick up the balls.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Oikawa says, and all three of you begin collecting the stray balls. After you’re done, Oikawa walks ahead of talking about something. Honestly, you weren’t really paying much attention. Iwaizumi grabs your arm, getting you to stay. Oikawa walks out of the gym, not knowing you aren’t following him. Iwaizumi keeps you from leaving. You turn around to face him.

“Uh, what’s up?” you ask. He doesn’t say anything at first but then speaks up.

“I just want to thank you again for all you do for our team,” Iwaizumi says. You feel your face get warm. “I’m sure Oikawa really appreciates it.” Now, you give him a confused look.

“I…what?” is all you can say.

“Well,” he gives a pained smile. “I assume you’re doing all this for Oikawa. I mean, most people do.”

“I…I don’t do this for Oikawa,” you say.

“You don’t?” Iwaizumi asks.

“No, I don’t,” you say. You think back to what Kiyoko said to you earlier. This is probably the best time to tell him. “Because I…”

“Because you?” he prompts.

“I…I do it for someone else,” you say. You can’t say it.

“Oh, I see,” Iwaizumi says, a bit downcast. “Well, any of the guys would be happy to know it’s for them.”

“Any of them?” you ask.

“Well, yeah,” Iwaizumi says.

“Even you?” you ask. He gets surprised and gets red. He covers his mouth and nose with his hand.

“I…I am part of the team,” he says quietly. “So…that means I would be happy to find out that you’re around because of me.”

“R-really?” you ask, getting a bit closer now.

“Yeah,” he removes his hand now. He’s more serious now. “But it’s not like you—” you cut him off.

“Okay, then, I do it for you,” you blurt. You were finally able to say it.

“Huh?” he says.

“I’m always hanging around you guys because you’re there,” you say. He blinks for a moment before saying anything.

“Y/N, I never would’ve thought that…” he trails off. He smiles at you. His olive-green eyes shining a bit. “Thank you. You have no idea how happy I am to hear that.” You blush.

“S-sure,” is all you can say.

“Y/N, the truth is I like you,” Iwaizumi says. “I never thought I could tell you, but I’m glad I did.”

“Iwaizumi, I—”

“Hey! What’re you guys still doing in here? I turned around, and you weren’t there!” It’s Oikawa shouting from the doorway. He comes over to the two of you now. “What’s up with you guys? We need to get moving.” He looks between the two of you, noticing the intensity between the two of you. “What happened?” Iwaizumi sighs and turns to Oikawa.

“It’s nothing,” Iwaizumi says. Oikawa looks at you, then back at Iwaizumi.

“Iwa-chan, you aren’t scaring her, are you?” Oikawa asks. Iwaizumi gives him a look. “I’m only kidding; I know you’d never do that.”

“Uh, we were just talking about the match, and it seems we lost track of time,” you say, trying to play off the tense situation. Oikawa narrows his eyes between the two of you.

“Uh-huh, riiiiight,” Oikawa says, unconvinced. “Well, let’s go to dinner now.” He begins walking back to the entrance, and you and Iwaizumi follow him. The two of you are just out of Oikawa’s earshot and walking outside to the dining hall.

“So, what’re you thinking right now?” Iwaizumi asks you. You blush.

“I was thinking about what you said to me earlier,” you say. He chuckles.

“Oh,” he says. You stop, and he halts about a step ahead of you.

“Iwaizumi,” you say. He hums in response. “I…I like you too.” He softens with a sweet smile.

“I’m glad,” he says. You nod, and he stretches his hand out to you. You give your hand, and he raises it to his lips, kissing your fingers. You become even redder. “You look so cute when you blush. I can’t wait to see more of that.” Your face practically steams.

“I…I…thanks?” you aren’t sure how to respond to that. He laughs.

“Come on, we’d better catch up to Oikawa and get some dinner,” Iwaizumi says, pulling your hand a bit. You follow him with your hands still intertwined. You can’t wait to see what’ll happen for you both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked Iwaizumi's chapter!! Next is Yahaba!!


	21. Shigeru Yahaba

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader cannot figure out Seijoh's campus, so Yahaba offers to help her navigate it.

Every time you walk anywhere on Seijoh’s campus, you get lost. Every single time. You’re not the best with direction, obviously. If you aren’t with someone, you’ll end up at the library when you need to get to the dining hall. You wish you had a map of the campus or something.

You finish getting dressed and start to head off for breakfast. You follow the other managers while walking with Yachi.

“I need to find my way around this place as soon as possible,” you say, and Yachi laughs a bit.

“We do have another three days here,” she says.

“Yeah, I can’t keep getting lost all the time,” you say.

“It happens that much?” she asks you.

“Yeah, it does. My sense of direction is that bad,” you say. She thinks for a minute.

“Maybe, you can ask someone to tour you,” she says.

“Who would want to?” you ask.

“You should probably get someone who really knows the campus,” Yachi says. “Maybe someone from Aoba Johsai.”

“Who would want to?” you ask her. She gives you a shrug. “Well, I guess I can find out.”

“Yeah, you can ask around,” Yachi says. “I think Aoba Johsai is second when it comes to matches today.” You clasp your hands together.

“That’s perfect,” you say. “Thanks, Yachi.”

“O-of course,” Yachi says as you both walk into the dining hall. You skip the line and get cereal and sit at the managers’ table. Everyone’s already eating their breakfast. You look around the room looking for Seijoh players who might help you with your predicament. You see Kyotani and Iwaizumi; they might not help you out. Oikawa would be too much help. Hanamaki and Matsukawa are friendly enough. Kunimi doesn’t seem to care much for you. Kindaichi is alright. There is always Yahaba; he’s always been nice to you. He is a second year as well, so he’ll know the campus really well, too. He seems like a good option. You hope he says he’ll help you.

“Hey, Y/N, are you excited for today?” Mai asks you from your left. You look at her and nod.

“Yeah, I am. I think the matches will be fun today,” you say. Yukie gives you a knowing look from across from you.

“So, who were you staring at a little bit ago?” Yukie asks you. You blush at her comment.

“Uh, no one,” you say.

“Come on; you can tell me,” Yukie says, propping her head on her palms.

“Oh, who was it?” Mai chimes in. Everyone is curious now.

“I was just…looking at the Seijoh boys because—” Yukie cuts you off.

“Ooh, really? Who has caught your eye?” Yukie looks behind her to the Seijoh table.

“I-it’s not like that. I was hoping I could find one of them to help me figure out the campus,” you admit.

“Oh,” they all reply.

“Man, I thought there’d finally be some romance stuff,” Yukie pouts.

“Come on, Yukie, don’t say that,” Kaori says.

“But it’s true,” Yukie says.

“So, you want one of the Seijoh boys to give you a tour of the campus?” Kaori asks you.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m hoping,” you say.

“Who’re you thinking to help you?” Mai asks you.

“You could ask Oikawa. He’d probably help you out,” Hana says. You cringe a bit. “Or not.”

“How about Iwaizumi? He’s a cool guy,” Kaori says. You shrug.

“I’ve already thought of someone,” you reply.

“Oh? Who?” Yukie asks, intrigued.

“Yahaba, he’s a second year,” you say. They all think, trying to remember who he is. They give you a confused look. “He’s their second setter with the swishy hair.” They all “oh” in remembrance.

“Yeah, him. He usually talks to the third years on his team along with the spiky-haired mid blocker and blond shaved wing spiker, right?” Yukie asks. You nod. “Well, then I guess I approve.”

“Approve?” you ask, confused.

“A-approve to help you, duh,” she says quickly. You narrow your eyes at her. “Anyway, I think you should ask.” Everyone agrees.

“Yeah,” you affirm. You guys eat your breakfast and head out of the dining hall to the gyms. The first match is against Johzenji. You help Kiyoko and Yachi with the manager things. You help with collecting the balls for spike practice with Yachi. After the practice is done, you three collapse on the bench after some good manager work. Johzenji arrives and does their own practice as well. Their team is still as crazy and fun-to-watch as ever. The game is pretty wild, but Karasuno does take the first set. The second set lasts a little bit longer because Johzenji does try some crazy new things. Johzenji’s creativity actually pays off, and they take the second set. Karasuno takes the last set, and Johzenji does their flying lap penalty. As Karasuno finishes their break between sets, Seijoh comes into the gym. You see Yahaba helps Kyotani’s spikes by setting for him. You didn’t know they were friends. You assumed Kyotani hated everyone except Iwaizumi. You never noticed, but Yahaba’s not a bad-looking guy either. He’s actually cute.

The match against Seijoh starts with Oikawa’s merciless serve. The serve is received by Asahi pretty well, and it’s sent to Kageyama. Kageyama sets it for Hinata, and he spikes it and scores. Next is Daichi’s serve. His serve goes up, and Nishinoya digs it, and he gets it to Kageyama. Kageyama sets it for Tanaka, who Matsukawa blocks. Luckily, Hinata dives for the ball, and it goes up again. Asahi hits the ball directly, but unfortunately, the ball is short and hits the net.

“Gah! I’m sorry, you guys,” Asahi says. Nishinoya and Daichi tell him it’s okay, and the set continues. Seijoh does take the first set even though the score is 28-30. The second set is postponed for a bit so both teams can get a bit of rest. This is the perfect time to ask Yahaba. Unfortunately, your manager duties have to come first, so you needed to help Karasuno during the break. So, you didn’t have the chance to ask him. You’ll just find another time.

The second set begins, and again it’s a long set. Oikawa’s sets and Iwaizumi’s spikes are hard to receive and get a lot of points. Kindaichi and Kunimi are still good wing spikers. Kyotani is still sporadic and unpredictable, making him a worthy opponent. Watari is really amazing as well. The score ends up going into the late 20s early 30s, again. Karasuno wins this set, though.

The third set starts quickly after, and it’s really intense. Much more intense than the first two. Everyone has their “rival” and goes after them. The most intense rivalry is still between Kageyama and Oikawa. The game goes into the mid-thirties, and by the time it’s over, it’s lunchtime. Kiyoko asks you to help Yachi with cleaning out the water bottles before the next batch of matches. The two of you both walk out and get to the water fountains. After filling them up, you both head back to the gym with most people already gone to lunch. Yachi remembers that she has to do something and leaves the gym.

You unpack the water bottles onto the bench and get ready to get lost for the 10000th time. You walk to the doorway and try to find your way to the dining hall. You walk to the path and try to follow it. The trail splits two ways, and you try to remember which way the dining hall is.

“Are you lost?” someone says from behind. You turn to see the boy with the swishy hair who you were searching for earlier.

“I, uh, a little bit,” you laugh nervously. “Was it that obvious?” He laughs too.

“Kinda. I can help you if you need,” Yahaba says. “I know this place pretty well, so…” You giggle.

“Yeah, thank you,” you say.

“Where are you trying to go?” he asks you.

“The dining hall,” you say.

“The dining hall? It’s actually in the other direction,” he points behind the both of you. You cringe a bit. “Come on; I’ll show you the way.” You follow him in the other direction.

“Thank you so much for helping me,” you say.

“Of course. I got lost my first week here too,” he says. You both laugh. “It’s kinda a confusing campus because a lot of the buildings look the same.” You gasp.

“Exactly, finally someone who gets it,” you say.

“Everyone on the team used to bug me about it,” he chuckles.

“Man, that’s rough,” you say.

“Eh, it’s okay,” he shrugs. He leads to the dining hall, and you’re just outside the door.

“Hey, I was wondering if later you could show me around the campus?” you say shyly. He gives you a surprised look.

“O-okay, yeah. I can do that,” he says. “How about after the last match today?”

“Okay, sure. Thank you again,” you say. He gives you a cheesy look.

“Oh, don’t even worry about it,” he says.

“Oh, boy,” you playfully roll your eyes at him, and you both walk into the dining hall. You get your food and sit down at the managers’ table. They, of course, berate you with questions on what they just saw. You brush them all off.

The next few matches start, and you’re just anxiously waiting for later. You watch Karasuno play Shiratorizawa, Inarizaki, and Date Tech. You do your manager job and help Kiyoko with her notes. The games last pretty long because the teams are powerful and intense. Each game lasts around an hour or more. By the time the last game finishes, you are pretty drained. As you’re helping clear the court and put the equipment away, all the boys begin filing out of the gym. Kiyoko and Yachi offer to walk with you, but you say you’ll be fine. You finish cleaning up and step outside, and waiting out there is Yahaba.

“Hey, took you long enough,” he says, giving you another cheesy look. You laugh.

“Sorry, we got a bit held up,” you say.

“Well, our team finished very quickly against Nekoma,” he brags. “Our third years really showed Nekoma up.” You laugh.

“Well, I’m glad to hear that,” you say. “If only they had that energy when they were trying to get to nationals,” you say quietly. Yahaba gives you a look.

“Hey! We played a great game. It was all your team’s fault,” he says. You wave your hands in front of yourself.

“I’m sorry I said that,” you say.

“Well, maybe you can make it up to me,” he says.

“Uh, how?” you ask.

“I’ll think of something,” he says. “Anyways, let’s start with our tour.”

“Okay,” you say. You both walk away from the gym and down the path. The path he takes you down is straight to the classrooms where you’ve been staying. You didn’t know that the classrooms were just down the track. A little embarrassing you didn’t know that. Many of the classrooms are all bunched together, making it easier for students to get to their classes.

“So, most students have their classes in multiple buildings?” you ask Yahaba while past the huge classroom buildings. He nods.

“Yeah, I have to walk to the first building for homeroom and then all the way to the last building for English every morning,” he says, pointing to the both of them. “It can get a little hectic.”

“I bet you have to run,” you say, looking to and from. He laughs a bit.

“You bet I do,” he says in between laughs. You laugh too. “Anyway, next on our tour is the front gate which is beside the first building where I have homeroom.” The front gate is right beside the classrooms? If only you’d noticed. The front gate opens up to the town, and he points out some good places to eat and hang out in your sight—next, the library, which is a little ways from the front gate. The library is still all lit up, and some people are doing some studying before eating dinner after the library is the dining hall, with some people eating an earlier dinner. After that, he takes you to the soccer fields and baseball fields. Next to the fields are the gyms for the other sports and the pool as well. He circles back to the two gyms where you both started—the whole tour taking only about 30 minutes.

“Since everything’s basically a circle, I think I can navigate everything now,” you say. “So, thank you for all your help.” He blushes a bit.

“O-of course. I’m glad I could help you,” he says nervously. “Once you know the actual layout, it’s not as hard to get around.”

“Yeah, I’m glad that’s the case,” you say. “Our school’s layout is completely different.” He perks up a bit.

“Oh? How so?” he asks. You sit down on the gym steps, and he sits beside you.

“Well, for one thing, all the classrooms are all in one building, so it’s not as difficult to get lost. The gyms are all right next to the classrooms, and you bring your lunch with you, so we don’t have a dining hall,” you explain.

“So, I probably wouldn’t get lost either,” he says, and you laugh.

“Yeah, probably, but I still do sometimes,” you admit. He laughs and gives you a little confused look.

“Really? I got lost because there are so many buildings on campus,” Yahaba says.

“Well, I have a terrible sense of direction, so…” you trail off.

“We do have ways to navigate more easily, which is a good thing, right?” he asks to reassure you.

“That’s true. I guess I should use a GPS more often,” you say.

“Oh, well, I was talking about something else,” he says shyly.

“What?” you ask.

“Well, you know, I mean like having me to help you,” he says. You blush in surprise.

“O-oh,” you say.

“But having a GPS is probably a great resource too,” Yahaba says and stands up. “Anyway, we should get back to the dining hall to get some food.”

“O-okay,” you say and stand up too. The two of you walk back to the dining hall together. You enter and grab some food and sit with the other managers. You sit next to Yachi and Kiyoko.

“I see you got your tour,” Yachi says. You give her a small nod. They can tell something’s wrong.

“Are you alright, Y/N?” Kiyoko asks. You look in her direction and wave it off.

“Fine, fine, just glad I know the campus now,” you say. Kiyoko and Yachi exchange looks knowing that you aren’t entirely truthful. You eat your food slowly, thinking about the events that just transpired. Your thoughts are just swimming, and you pay no attention to the world around you. After a while, you finish your food and follow the girls back to the classrooms to get ready for tomorrow. You put on your lounge clothes and sit on your cot doing some schoolwork on your computer. Maybe you should talk to him. You do feel bad for making him sad. What would you say? How would you say it? Would it even help? Would it make things worse? You shut your laptop, thinking about how you should handle it. You get up from your cot and go out of the room into the well-lit hallway. You figure you’ll walk around a little to clear your head, not enough to get lost, of course. You pass by all the boys’ rooms and find an abandoned room and go inside. You turn on the lights and sit down on top of a desk. You still wonder what you should do. You swing your dangling legs back and forth as you think.

After a while, you hear huffing coming towards you. The huffing surprises you, and you leap onto the floor. You see that Yahaba runs into the room, still huffing. He looks excited, confusing you.

“Whew! I found you! I was looking all over the place for you,” he says.

“Y-you were?” you ask, and he nods.

“I was because I forgot to do something,” he says.

“You did?” you ask, and he nods again.

“Remember you and I have to tour the outside world too,” he says. You give a confused look. “You did say that you owe me one.” You remember that you did say that. So, he is right.

“Oh, yeah. I guess we did forget,” you say. “So, you want to go off-campus?”

“Exactly, I want to show you the best places there are to eat and hang out,” he gives a cheesy look. “I mean, I am your guide, and I need to do my job thoroughly.” You laugh and shake your head.

“I guess you’re right. It’s the only way,” you say.

“Exactly. See? You get it,” he says, imitating you from before.

“I can’t wait then,” you say.

“Good, because it’ll be lots of fun, so be prepared for that,” he says.

“I will don’t you worry,” you say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Yahaba's chapter!! Next is Kunimi!!

**Author's Note:**

> Don't forget to leave a comment and maybe some kudos. Thank you!!
> 
> ~❤️
> 
> Also, I have a Kofi account: Ko-fi.com/lauren_the_simp if you want to support me there.
> 
> P.S.: This is also on the Tumblr account https://anime-fanfics-i-write.tumblr.com/ where I write other content.


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